A new vision, a new point of view
by Sharpsnout
Summary: X2 from the view point of one of the students from begining to end. Contains spoilers for the movie. PG for some language. Chapter 13 up. Please READ AND REVIEW!
1. Intro

Disclaimer: I own Dan that's about it. Everything else belongs to Marvel and the movie people for X2 X-men United. Some of the quotes you see in the text came from the X2 novel by Chris Claremont. 

If you have any questions about Dan that are not answered in this, you can either try reading my X-men Evolution fic, Einstein or just ask me in a review and I'll try to answer them. I know some people do not like reading things where authors add their own characters in to the story but I hope you like this one at least. I would also like to thank Meremew and Clear Shadow for their help in coming up with a title. And thanks to Clear Shadow for proofreading and correcting this and other chapters. Thanks!!!!! And now please read and review!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

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"Come on class lets go rejoin the others," Ororo Munroe said too the group of students entrusted in her care. As the others followed Ms. Munroe away from the statue, one of the mutants stayed and stared at it. Looking down at the podium describing the scene he could see his reflection. Black hair speckled with bits of white here and there hung in a mushroom cut around his small face. Red-lensed glasses sat snug against his face making it impossible for his eyes too be seen. "Dan?" he turned his head slightly he felt a hand gently resting on his shoulders, Ms. Munroe was standing behind him, "Aren't you coming?" Dan looked back at the horrific statue of the mutants hiding the disgusted look upon his face.

            "Um, actually, I was wondering if I could go back to the Ancient Egyptian section. I wanted to look at a couple of things and we didn't spend a whole lot of time down there," Ms. Munroe smiled at him and looked at the rest of the group, "If we hafta go though its ok. I just figured I'd ask."

            "No it's fine, just meet us in the next room there in 10 minutes," Dan looked back at the group of kids who were heading into the room she had pointed out. Artie grinned at him and stuck out his forked snake-like tongue. Ms. Munroe looked back over at Artie and gave him a warning look, the boy's eyes widened and hurried to join the others. Dan grinned Artie was cool, him and Dan were pretty good friends, "As I was saying, go right ahead."

            "Thank you." Dan said, he picked up his backpack and walked away from her. The section Dan had been intending to reach seemed different now that he was alone. The hieroglyphics on the walls, the face carved upon the sarcophagus seemed to watch him its eyes following his every move. This didn't bother the 12 year old at the least; he liked solitude as opposed to groups. That was one of the reasons he had asked to be allowed to come back alone that and get away from Jamie Madrox, another 12 year old who had decided when Dan had first joined the students at Xavier's School for gifted youngsters, that Dan was a threat and the two had been butting heads since. Dan never started these confrontations. That honor went to Jamie himself but Dan always tried to end them, it didn't help when he was outnumbered. Jamie always brought along copies of himself and when its 8 on one the odds usually go to the 8 especially whenever Dan managed to nail the real Jamie with a punch more copies appeared. Peter Rasputin usually ended these scuffles, at 6 feet tall and with the body of a linebacker, no one messed with Peter. He was also one of Dan's best friends. But Peter had been with Professor X. and the older kids so there was really no one to prevent Jamie from taunting and teasing Dan who refused to retaliate. 

Sighing loudly Dan sat down on the cold marble floor. As he sketched the hieroglyphics on the wall; Dan allowed his mind to wander. A part of him didn't know why he stayed with Xavier's School for gifted youngsters. He had only been there a month long enough to gain a mortal enemy of someone who should be a friend, add too his mutation with a new power one which cursed him with the glasses he wore, and become the one everyone ran too with homework problems. The only reason he did stay at the school was it was better then going to another foster home. He flipped through the sketchbook and stumbled on a sketch of a girl, he grinned, no that wasn't entirely true, Dan stayed for another reason too, Rahne Sinclair. Though it hadn't been declared official they were close to being a couple. Dan trusted Rahne and Rahne him. He had wanted to ask if she could come with him, then decided against it. He wanted solitude right now. Flipping back to his sketches of the hieroglyphics Dan resumed his sketching. Suddenly he heard a noise the sound of shoes echoing upon the marble. 

"Hey what do we have here?" _Teens, oh crap,_ Dan thought he had lived in enough children homes and foster homes to know that whenever an older kid asked 'what do we have here' it was never a good thing. He had experienced getting beat up by older kids enough times to know when it was coming. As they got closer Dan slipped his book into his bag he held his bag tight in a bear hug staring at the wall he translated the hieroglyphics waiting for the teens to get nearer wishing Peter or Bobby, or one of the other older kids was with him.

Upstairs, a couple were talking and keeping a close eye on their charges. Scott Summers and Jean Grey. Scott wore the same ruby colored sunglasses that Dan wore as the two shared the same power, though Dan had two other powers his telekinetic abilities and the ability to manipulate any form of technology, Dan could touch a computer and instantly download all its memory into his, by concentrating he could easily destroy whatever he touched rendering it completely useless unless he himself repaired it. Scott always kept a close eye on Dan; he was still new to the school and still getting acquainted with his new surroundings. Scott had been the one to explain to Dan about his new powers when they had developed a few days after he entered the school. Scott knew Dan saw him as a sort of father figure or an older brother and he felt proud of that, Dan was a good kid could be tough and cold, but was really just a scared teen dealing with who he was. The two were talking when Ororo entered with her group. Scott looked over the group and noticed Dan wasn't among the rowdy 12 and 11 year olds.

"Hey where's Dan?" Jean asked Ororo smiled at her friend

"He asked to go back to the ancient Egyptian hall I told him to meet us back here in 10 minutes," she paused "That was 5 minutes ago." Scott nodded 

"We're leaving as soon as we find Bobby, Rouge, and John. You know beat rush-hour" He looked around as Xavier and the group he had been teaching entered. Among them was Peter. Scott beckoned for him to come over. "Peter, we're leaving in a little bit, Dan went down the ancient Egyptian hall could you go get him?" Peter nodded

"Sure Mr. Summers I'll get him." Peter said in his heavy Russian accent.

"Meet us in the food court, I have a feeling that's where we're going to find the three musketeers." Peter grinned and chuckled, giving a wave to the group he headed towards the escalator to retrieve Dan.

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Ok hope you liked, if you did,  if you have questions, or if you have some constructive criticism for me, just tell me I want to know. But that's it, no flames. *Bows* danke!


	2. teens

Disclaimer: I own Dan that's about it. Everything else belongs to Marvel and the movie people for X2 X-men United. Some of the quotes you see in the text came from the X2 novel by Chris Claremont. 

If you have any questions about Dan that are not answered in this, you can either try reading my X-men Evolution fic, Einstein or just ask me in a review and I'll try to answer them. I know some people do not like reading things where authors add their own characters in to the story but I hope you like this one at least. I would also like to thank Meremew and Clear Shadow for their help in coming up with a title. And thanks to Clear Shadow for proofreading and correcting this and other chapters. 

Thanks to Cherry blossomien and thesecretecharmedwriter for the reviews. So Cherry, you wanna know if Petey saves him in time???? Well read and find out!!!

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Meanwhile downstairs Dan had little more to worry about then being there more then the 10 minutes he had promised. 

"Nice shades dude," the teen said "Lemme try them on." Dan shook his head hurriedly to avoid the teen who was trying to grab his glasses. Two teens, one with spiked red hair and the other with spiked blue both smelt like cigarettes.

"They're nice ain't they? Betcha they're a pair of Oakles. They'd probably sell good."

"I ain't interested in sellin' 'em, hell I'll take em," the blue haired one said making another mad swing Dan easily ducked avoiding the hand.

"Trust me man," Dan said, "You don't want these."

"Look kid, either give me the damn sunglasses or this is gonna get ugly," Dan felt his temper rising, he could feel ears turning red.

"Already's getting ugly the minute you stepped in here," he said under his breath. "These stiffs look better then either one of you." The red haired teen threw one punch and nailed Dan in the face, Dan could feel the blood dripping from his bottom lip. "So whatcha do escape from the fashion police? _Oh yea Dan smart idea_ he thought, _piss them off and your supposed to be the smart one of the group_. Dan raised his fists to protect himself like Bobby had shown him, but too no avail. The blue haired teen grabbed him from behind and held him while the other one landed one punch to his stomach and one to his nose, Dan could feel more blood rushing from his nose, but could also tell it wasn't broken, at least not yet. Dan coughed trying to catch his breath as he was nailed in the stomach again. "You know I get it now" Dan coughed "you two escaped from the freak show." Red hair grabbed Dan by his shirt collar.

"Shut the hell up kid. You're in no position to be talking kid. Now do as my friend told you, give us the shades and the backpack. And any money you might be carrying." He easily picked Dan up off the ground and walked over to the railing; the lower level of the museum was closed for repair so it was dark with only bits of light showing through. The teen swung Dan over the railing and Dan dangled like a worm on a hook. _Oh crap this ain't good, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die_, Dan made the mistake of looking down he yelped and made a mad grab for the teens arm holding on to it tight. "Now give me the sunglasses and I won't drop you." Dan looked down again he bit his lower lip and closed his eyes tight. He was really beginning to wish he had just stuck with the group, why did he have too go off by himself. How could he have been such an idiot. He slipped the heavy glasses off and handed up to the teen. The kid took them and Dan could hear them snickering and joking.

"You got 'em now let me up!"

"Naw," one of them said "So you can get us busted? I don't think so." Dan felt himself being lowered and he thought any second he was going to be sailing through the air and hitting the marble floor below. He felt something cold against his back and realized the teen had hooked him on something, Dan could feel the strain of his weight on his tee-shirt. 

"Leave him be." Dan recognized that accent it was Peter.

"Oh yeah well man this aint none of your affair?" 

"Yeah dude just walk on."

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Why not? Your gonna be a dead man if you don't."

"That's my brother you've got," _Brother_? Suddenly Dan heard the clatter of something heavy presumably his glasses hitting the floor then the sound of feet running and he was suddenly pulled up, he feet brushed against the railing and he was soon standing on solid ground, he slunk to the ground holding his knees up tight against his chest his arms wrapped around them, even he couldn't stop his body from shaking, "Hold on kid, just one second." Dan felt his glasses slipped back to their resting spot, he blinked a few times and looked around the teens were gone and Peter was kneeling beside him holding his backpack. "So, friends of yours?" Peter asked he held out his hand and Dan took it, Peter easily lifted him off the floor and set him down on his feet.

"Thanks Peter,"

"What were you doing down here Dan?" Dan looked at his feet, head down, avoiding Peter's gaze. Peter sighed "Let me guess the first name starts with a J and ends with a e?" Dan's silence confirmed his suspicions. "You've got to stand up to him Dan."

"He always outnumbers me I cant fight him."

"I don't mean fight him. Outsmart him. You're ten times smarter then he is." Dan grinned 

"I guess." Dan said thoughtfully. "Hey why'd you tell those guys I was your brother, I don't think anyone would mess with you. You could've pulverized them. Why lie?" He picked up his backpack and looked up at Peter's face, "What's the point?" Peter reached over and put his arm around Dan's small shoulders.

"Because, comrade you're like a little brother too me and no one messes with my brother, except me," With one quick motion Peter picked Dan up and carried him over his shoulder.

"Hey no fair!" Dan protested, but he knew it was useless. When they got to the escalator Peter gently put Dan back on the ground. "Come on lets go." Dan said heading towards the escalator going down. "We're going to the cafeteria."

"Now what makes you so certain that's where we're supposed to be going?" Peter asked grinning. He paused for a moment "You read my mind didn't you?" Dan's ears went red with guilt he rocked back and forth on his heels. 

"Naw you know my telepathy ain't that strong, you just brought me to this side of the escalator and just figured we had to be meetin downstairs, I used deduction that time not telepathy." he dashed down the escalator with Peter close in tow. When they reached the bottom Dan stopped short Peter almost didn't stop in time to avoid slamming into the boy. Everyone in the cafeteria was frozen in place. Dan saw a boy around his age frozen in mid bite of a French fry.

"Did Bobby do this?" he asked poking the kid he moved like a weeble wobble a few times before settling back in his original position, Dan grinned and tried not to laugh, Peter shrugged and looked around. 

"Come here kid," he said Dan walked back over to Peter, "I'm going to put you on my shoulders see if you can see anyone." Dan nodded he slipped his sneakers off and gave another nod; he felt Peter's hands under his arms and felt himself lifted up. Standing on Peter's broad shoulders Dan could see the entire cafeteria. "Do you see them?" Peter asked in Russian, Dan's mind translated it and shook his head. "Sorry," he said in English

"Naw its ok, I can translate it remember." Dan said, answering him in Russian

"Right." Peter said in Russian "So do you see them?"

"Not yet……" then he spotted the group, the only ones in the entire cafeteria not frozen. "Wait there they are, over there." Dan said pointing. 

"All of them?" Peter asked this time in English 

"Yup and from the looks of things the Prof. doesn't look too happy." Peter lowered Dan to the floor, Dan slipped his shoes back on and the two of them headed over to the group, one look told Dan why the professor didn't look happy, one guy was sitting on the floor frozen like the rest of the cafeteria, but his entire right side was iced. Scott looked over at Peter and Dan as they stood next to one another he nodded. Dan looked around at the group looked like everyone was there, a noise caught Dan's attention, the sound was from the nearby television something didn't feel right, something was about to come on that station and it wasn't anything good.

"…We repeat, the President is unharmed. We are awaiting confirmation from the Whitehouse, but informed sources have told Fox News that an attempt was made on the Presidents life less then an hour ago by an assailant who has been attentively identified as a mutant." Dan felt his heart drop into his stomach and felt his entire body go numb, no one said anything for a moment. Finally Scott broke the silence.

"Professor." He said quietly "People, I think its time to go." Dan felt someone lean into him and clutch his hand. He looked to his right it was Rahne she had a look of mixed fear and confusion upon her face, he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and looked at the Professor who nodded to Scott and said.

"I think you're right," Rahne stayed attached to Dan's hand as they moved with the rest of the students through the frozen patrons heading towards the three vehicles, to take them back too the school. She leaned back into him as they walked and Dan put his arm around her and held her close. They stayed like that for the entire trip back. Tracy Cassidy and Kitty Pryde, Rahne's best friends both tried to talk to her for most of the ride, but she ignored them. When they looked at Dan for an answer, he merely shrugged that announcement in on the news really got too Rahne either that or she had figured out why his shirt was ripped and why he had the blood on it. When Xavier, Scott, Jean, and Ororo, had caught sight of him, they promised to find out what had happened to him when they got back to the mansion. Dan was dreading it in a way he was hoping he didn't get busted for fighting, it hadn't been his fault.

"So what happened to you?" Kitty asked

"I fell."

"Yeah right," Tracy said in her sweet Northern Ireland accent "Who'd you fight?"

"Just some punks at the museum" Dan admitted "Tried too swipe my glasses." Rahne had fallen asleep with her head resting upon Dan's shoulder. As the scenery passed by Dan could feel his own sleepiness taking over his consciousness. A noise caught his attention; Jamie was playing with a gameboy in the front seat of the van. Storm was busy watching the road, Dan grinned, carefully so not to move Rahne to much, he closed his eyes and reached his hand out a little, concentrating he was close enough to Jamie's game to use his power on it, Peter was right if he couldn't fight him outsmart him. Seconds later Jamie cried out in protest, his game had shut off and he hadn't saved. Dan quickly put his hand down and rested his head on the seat behind him, Jamie looked around the car his eyes fell on Dan he glared.

"Dan!" he whispered loudly

"What?" Dan said half sleepily and half annoyed, he was proud of his acting skills he really did sound sleepy, actually, it was because all he wanted to do was sleep right now and Jamie was interrupting it.

"Fix my game now!" 

"Why fix something that I didn't break, besides what have you ever done for me?" Tracy and Kitty were obviously trying not to laugh, when Jamie turned back around to look at his game Dan grinned and started laughing, for moment he actually felt bad for Jamie, but this feeling only lasted for a second at the least. Once again Dan closed his eyes and raised his hand towards the game, this time he turned the game on and took totally control of the characters. Jamie had no control over his person, Dan did.

"What the heck!" Jamie shouted "Dan knock it off I'm serious!"

"Hey Jamie some of us are trying to sleep in this car!" Dan replied a completely serious look on his face. "So you're game screwing up, doesn't mean it's my fault maybe it's just a crappy game ever think of that?" Jamie's glare intensified as he turned back around in a huff. Storm finally glanced over at Jamie; she looked in the rearview mirror.

"Boys that's enough, Dan fix his game," she said with a hint of amusement in her voice. Dan nodded; he fixed the game and settled back into his position. Watching once again the scenery passed by, his eyes closed and for the first time in a long while, Dan feel asleep instantly. He didn't even notice a little while later as he was picked up and carried inside.

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Ok hope you liked, if you did,  if you have questions, or if you have some constructive criticism for me, just tell me I want to know. But that's it, no flames. *Bows* danke!


	3. Seeing the past

Disclaimer: I own Dan that's about it. Everything else belongs to Marvel and the movie people for X2 X-men United. Some of the quotes you see in the text came from the X2 novel by Chris Claremont. 

If you have any questions about Dan that are not answered in this, you can either try reading my X-men Evolution fic, Einstein or just ask me in a review and I'll try to answer them. I know some people do not like reading things where authors add their own characters in to the story but I hope you like this one at least. I would also like to thank Meremew and Clear Shadow for their help in coming up with a title. And thanks to Clear Shadow for proofreading and correcting this and other chapters. 

Thanks to Cherry blossomien and thesecretecharmedwriter for their reviews. And Cherry, in the book Jamie is really nice, in fact he's described as nice farm boy from Cananda with a huge crush on Tracy Cassidy (Siryn). However, the way I have him in my Evolution fic when I get to that part is him and Dan really butt heads, Jamie doesn't like Dan and vice versa. So I decided I'd continue with that idea. Jamie isn't being a total jerk, just a total jerk to Dan. 

And also your right it was great that they put Peter in the movie, I was so happy when I heard about that. They captured him really well. Well enjoy this chapter. Hope to hear from you.

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            ***_Flash back_***

_"Dan come here kid! We hafta talk!"_

_"Sandy? Sandy why do you sound funny?"_

_"For kicks, figgered get shit drunk come home. *crash* Why aint this kitchen spotless, I thought I told you that your supposed to do the dishes. What the hell is wrong with you." *smack*_

_"I…I…I'm s..s…sorry." _

_"Your sorry? That's the best you can come up with, I work all freakin day. I expect to come home a clean apartment, I don't hafta keep you here you know that? I can just send you back to the god damn home anytime I freakin want, aint no skin off my back!" *smack then crying then screams suddenly a thud is heard. *_

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Dan sat up hurriedly; it took him a few moments to realize where he was. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and looked around. He was in the room him and Peter shared. He pulled his knees up to his chest and laid his head upon his knees. He had tried to forget that memory so many times that it was now imbedded in the dream portion of his mind, and he would usually dream it . Dan ran his hand through his hair and wiped the cold sweat off his quivering brow. He had always known Sandy loved him and had wanted to make him her son, he had spent nearly a year with Sandy who worked at a clothing store in a small mini-mall. She spent what little time she had between Dan and school. She had been going for her masters in education. All that had come crashing down when Sandy's business shut down unexpectedly, laying off all of its employees. Out of worry about what the state of New York would do with her adopting Dan and not being able to pay for school or if she had enough money to raise the 9 year old. Sandy became depressed and one night at a bar got so drunk that when she came home that night, she broke out in a rage hitting everything that got too close, including Dan. He had told himself that Sandy was just sick and would come for him as soon as she got better, the older Dan got however, the more he slowly began to realize that Sandy wasn't going to come for him. Dan's telekinetic powers emerged that night, when Sandy hit him the second time Dan threw her into a wall with them; a neighbor had called the cops when she heard the screaming and the thuds against the wall. The cops had come along with Dan's caseworker, she had take Dan away from Sandy and put him back in a children's home. Shifting between foster homes and children homes Dan grew older. Then his computer powers came; he was barely 11 when it developed by the time he was 11 ½ Dan had perfected it enough to ensure that he wouldn't destroy every type of mechanical and technical device he touched. 

Dan slid off his bed and walked to the window, he looked down into the yard and saw about 30 Jamie's sitting holding their heads. Tracy was running towards the woods and Dan figured out what that scream was Tracy, whose code name suited her as Syrian, she must have gotten scared and screamed. Which would explain Jamie's state on the lawn. He touched the cracked window, which had cracked do to Tracy's banshee like scream. 

Dan had often wondered where he would be if his optic blasts had come first, before his telekinetic and computer power. He turned away from the window and rubbed his left arm trying to shake the chills, he knew where he'd be…..Dead, it was as simple as that either he'd be kicked out of every foster home he was sent too then killed on the streets by anti-mutants or run away and killed by anti-mutants. 

"Dan you awake?" Rahne's voice called through the door.

"Yeah just gimme a sec." Dan closed his eyes and changed his night visor, which someone had taken thought to put on him, with his normal glasses. When he was sure they where set, he opened the door. 

"'ave a nice sleep?" she asked in her heavy Scottish accent

"Yeah a little." He put his hands behind his head "so what's up?"

"Well I was jus' wondering if you wanted to go fer jog. You know everyone downstairs kinda out of it. I've got to clear me 'ead befere I go crazy." Dan thought about it for a second.

"Race or just jog?"

"I jus' want to run, I need to run and I would've gone with Tracy, but you know how she gets when she loses control." Dan nodded 

"Yeah dangerous." He looked back at the cracked window. "For both people and house apparel." He looked back at Rahne "yeah I'll go for a quick one. Peter's letting me borrow his colored pencils in a little bit so I can color in the pictures I drew at the museum." Dan grinned "that reminds me, when we get back I got somthin too give ya." Rahne grinned back.

"Ok let's go!" she grabbed his hand and dragged him down the hall, down the stairs, and out onto the patio.

"Just a jog right?" Dan said, he knew for a fact that Rahne like himself had the tendency to get a bit competitive, even if it wasn't intentional.

"Jus' a jog I promise." Before Dan's eyes Rahne transformed from a girl into a wolf. That was Rahne's power the ability to transform into a wolf earning her the codename of Wolfsbane. 

"Hey there's a stray lose!" John Allardyce said, laughing from the open window just above them. "Call animal control!" Dan looked down at Rahne who was snarling at John. 

"She says that if their calling animal control on her then their calling a state of emergency, with the National Guard and Smoky the bear on you." John stared at Dan

"How the hell do you know what she says, animal is one language I know you can't translate." Dan grinned that was true, but John didn't really know that.

"Ghen Entdeckung eine bohoury und ein schleicheni ihr John." Dan replied shortly. John's utter confusion was easily seen on his face. (Translation= go find a hole and crawl in it John)

"Kid will you talk in English, just because you can speak every language doesn't mean the rest of us can."

"Actually I haven't fully learned Swahili, but I'm working on it." Dan said grinning.

"Get a life"

"va l' estione qualcosa Pyro" (translation= go burn something) Dan felt something pulling on his pant leg, Rahne was pulling him with her teeth. "Ok, ok, ok, I've confused John I've had my fun for the day." Rahne let go of his pant leg and started trotting across the grass. "Auf wiedersehen John." Dan said waving and running off after Rahne who was well ahead of him. John looked very stumped for a moment, then he turned around and his voice could be heard throughout the house.

"DOES ANYONE SPEAK SWAHILI!?!" Dan grinned as he caught up to Rahne, the wolf happily flouncing through the grass, normally he didn't antagonize John like that, but after dealing with Jamie that entire morning, Dan wasn't in the mood to give anyone slack with teasing. Still it was entertaining to see John with huge mask of confusion written all over his face. How could John really not know he was speaking German and Italian neither of them sounded remotely alike. Dan had just entered the woods behind the mansion when suddenly Rahne was gone; Dan looked around hurriedly, but couldn't spot her, she had been right in front of him, but now she had blended with the woods.

"Rahne?" He said, "Rahne come on where are you?" Suddenly something tackled Dan from behind. _Oh crap_ Dan thought _Jamie_. Dan knew if it was Jamie he was coming back for round two. Probably to make up for his defeat in the gameboy battle. He put up his fists to block the punch he knew was coming.

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Oooo is it Jamie? Rahne? Or someone else? Is Dan in trouble again? Wanna know? Well leave me a review and you'll find out next chapter. No flames please. However if you have suggestions on how to make this better, those are welcome.


	4. something is coming

Disclaimer: I own Dan that's about it. Everything else belongs to Marvel and the movie people for X2 X-men United. Some of the quotes you see in the text came from the X2 novel by Chris Claremont.

If you have any questions about Dan that are not answered in this, you can either try reading my X-men Evolution fic, Einstein or just ask me in a review and I'll try to answer them. I know some people do not like reading things where authors add their own characters in to the story but I hope you like this one at least. I would also like to thank Meremew and Clear Shadow for their help in coming up with a title. And thanks to Clear Shadow for proofreading and correcting this and other chapters.

Thanks to Cherry blossomien and thesecretecharmedwriter for their reviews.

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It took Dan a moment to realize it was Rahne, she had him pinned on his back to the ground. "Hey get off me you hairball!" he said laughing. Rahne gave her tail a wag then with a growl pushed him back to the ground. "Ok, ok, ok" Dan said putting his hands up "I give, I give!" With a satisfied nod, Rahne jumped off him, but not before giving him one more push to the ground with her paw. While she had her back to him, Dan lifted her up with his TK, she hovered a few inches off the ground when she turned around to look at him he was grinning, he shrugged and lowered her gently back to the ground. "Truce?" Dan asked holding out his hand, Rahne looked at it for a moment then put her paw on his hand and they shook on it. Suddenly Dan was hit with a telepathic blast from the Professor. "Ok, ok" Dan said aloud. "Rahne I gotta go back to the house, the prof. wants to talk to me." Rahne cocked her head and transformed back into a girl.

"About teasin Jamie?" she asked, Dan shook his head

"No I think it's about the museum," he pointed to his lip, which was still tender from earlier.

"Ye, you an' me got to talk about that too." Dan grinned

"It was nothing I swear just some big shots at the museum out to make a quick buck. I can take care of myself." Rahne gave him a look that obviously said 'yeah right.'

"Ok I'm going to go find Tracy see if she's ok." Dan nodded and started to walk back towards the mansion. "Dan wait a second." Rahne said running to him,

"Yeah?" he asked facing her.

"Would you do me a favor?"

"If I can." He replied

"I know you think you can take care of yourself. Jus' please be careful. I don't want anything to 'appen to you."

"Wow morbid much?" Dan asked grinning, Rahne looked at him seriously, her brown eyes wide with fear. "Hey, come on what's wrong, why so scared all of a sudden?" he put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her. "This aint the Rahne I know, she's not scared of nothing."

"I'm jus' worried, you know with everything that 'appening. I 'ave this terrible feeling something's going to 'appen, to us, to the school." 

"I think this whole attack on the President is getting to all of us." Dan said thoughtfully. "But don't worry, you and me we'll look out for each other right?" Rahne nodded and rested her head on his shoulders. Dan held her to him staring over her shoulders out into space. He could feel it too. Rahne was right something was going to happen, happen to them, to the school, too the world, something was going to change their lives forever. He just couldn't place what it was. "Hey Rahne?" Dan whispered.

"Ye?" 

"Are we officially a couple now?" she looked at him and for a quick moment Dan thought she was going to laugh at him. But instead she leaned close to him and kissed him gently on the cheek. "Does that mean you'll think about it?" she grinned and took his hand. 

"Maybe." She said, "I'll see ya later." And with that Rahne transformed back into her wolf form and took off down the path. Dan watched her for a moment then headed the opposite way back to the mansion.

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Aww the two of them are so cute. Er excuse me anyways, now I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you did just leave me a review on your way out. If you have any questions or suggestions. That fine too. Just no flames.


	5. questions

Disclaimer: I own Dan that's about it. Everything else belongs to Marvel and the movie people for X2 X-men United. Some of the quotes you see in the text came from the X2 novel by Chris Claremont. If you have any questions about Dan that are not answered in this, you can either try reading my X-men Evolution fic, Einstein or just ask me in a review and I'll try to answer them. I know some people do not like reading things where authors add their own characters in to the story but I hope you like this one at least. I would also like to thank Meremew and Clear Shadow for their help in coming up with a title. And thanks to Clear Shadow for proofreading and correcting this and other chapters.

Thanks to Cherry blossomien and thesecretecharmedwriter for their reviews.

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Dan hesitated when he reached the large oak doors leading to the room, which had been dubbed, the teacher's lounge. He paused mid knock his fist hovering just above the door. A wave of dizziness over came the boy for a moment and Dan felt as if he had been spinning around in circles too long. Suddenly Dan didn't feel as secure and as safe as he had, and he wondered for a moment if this insecure feeling was coming from the feelings that he and Rahne had both felt outside. Taking a deep breath Dan regained his composure and knocked.

            "Come on in Dan" he opened the door and walked into the room. The four instructors were there. Xavier sat behind his large oak desk, Scott was leaning against the marble fireplace, and Ororo and Jean sat on the couch. The four of them watched as Dan nervously glanced around. Xavier motioned for Dan to take a seat, which he did. 

            "Its so good to see you kid." Scott said, chuckling a bit. Dan grinned and tried his best not to laugh.

            "So um er what did I do now?" 

            "We just would like to know what exactly happened this afternoon at the museum." Xavier said, "Ororo tells me you asked to return to one of the exhibits, we would just like to know what happened down there." Dan bit his bottom lip. 

            "It was just some guys trying to pick a fight." Dan said "no big deal."

            "No big deal?" Scott said standing straight with his arms crossed across his chest, "just out of curiosity, have you seen yourself in the mirror?" Dan shook his head.

            "No I've been trying to avoid that confrontation."

            "Dan just tell us what happened." Xavier said he smiled and tapped his head "or I may need to persuasive force."

            "Ok, ok, ok" Dan exclaimed holding up his hands. "They tried to steal my glasses, said they looked like they could make some dough. Like I said no big deal, I can handle myself."

            "According to Peter, he found you hanging from your shirt over the railing." Dan stayed quiet.

            "Dan what if your shirt had ripped? What if Peter hadn't gotten there when he did?" Ororo said leaning forward.

            "I er…." Dan stopped mid-sentence he wasn't even going to bother protesting. "I'm sorry Professor." He said

            "There's nothing to be sorry about." Xavier once again smiled "though you are in quite a sorry condition. Jean is going to take you down to the med-lab, just to make sure your fine" Dan sighed. 

            "I'm getting another shot aren't I?" Jean smiled; she stood up and put an arm around Dan's shoulders.

            "No, not today."

Downstairs in the med-lab, Dan sat in one of the chairs feeling a little crowded as Jean administered small doses of Advil to the thirty Jamie's that filled the room. He leaned into the chair and sighed, Jean was only on Jamie number 5 and she still hadn't gotten to the real Jamie yet. And too top it off as each of the Jamie's walked by Dan; they were kind enough to kick him in the shin. Dan gritted his teeth trying not to retaliate and create more of a nuisance. Finally the last Jamie came out, Dan didn't even notice the kick, his leg was too numb to feel anything. He waited until the herd of them was gone before pulling up the cuff on his pant leg and examined the damage. His left leg had 3 large clack and blue blotches. Dan frowned he had to admit Jamie, all of them, had some aim. They had managed to keep their kicks in 3 spots on his shin.

            "Dan?" Jean said poking her head through the doorway. Quickly Dan unrolled his pant leg to cover up the bruises. Giving a sigh, Dan followed Jean into the med-lab; he did his best to act normal. Though his leg was in pain with every step, Dan masked this pain. "Ok kid you know the drill." She said "on the table."

            "Aw come on Dr. Gray, cant we just skip-"

            "Dan on the table and off with the shirt." Still grumbling, Dan put his hands behind him on the table and hoisted himself up. "Shirt." Jean said in a warning tone.

            "Can't I keep it on?" Jean walked over to him 

            "What's wrong?"

            "Nothin."

            "Are you sure? I just need to make sure that no serious damage was done at the museum."

            "I'd tell you if there was." Jean gave him a look after a moment of this Dan finally gave in.

            "Ok, ok." he said and pulled his shirt over his head.

            "Dan where did this come from?" she asked, Dan could feel her hand on his back and he winced with her hand touched the bruise.

            "I er fell."

            "Did this happen at the museum?"

            "Yeah, I fell doing down the escalator I wasn't payin attention, Artie saw me." Dan lied; he just hoped he could get to Artie to tell him before Jean did.

            "Honest?"

            "Honest just ask Artie." Dan said, he considered himself a fairly goodliar. Normally the only thing that got him caught was that no matter how hard he tried he could never meet eye contact with the person. Thanks to his glasses that problem had vanished. Jean still looked like she didn't believe him, but Dan knew she wouldn't use her telepathy to pry into his thoughts. 

            "OK." She finally said, picking up a stethoscope and setting it on her neck. "Where did you get punched?" He pointed to his stomach. "How many times?" she asked and Dan shrugged. "You don't remember?" Dan shook his head.

            "I swear, after the first blow I kinda blocked the rest of them out." Jean nodded.

            "All right, lay down on your back, and tell me if this hurts at all." Dan nodded and felt Jean pressing on different parts of his abdomen. "Does this hurt?" she asked Dan was about to say no actually it kind of tickled, when suddenly pain shot from his stomach traveling around his body. 

            "Yes!" he said loudly, Jean's hand jumped back then she pressed it back to the same spot. This time Dan only winced and didn't say anything. He sat up and looked at the spot just above his belly button. 

            "We may have to do an X-ray." Jean said and Dan nodded. "I just want to make sure its nothing serious."

            "You don't think its like internal bleedin or somthin, I mean wouldn't I have felt that sooner."

            "I just want to be safe, don't worry, I'll bet its just a little tender."  When they were done with the X-ray, Dan pulled his shirt back on and headed towards the door. "I'll come tell you what I found." Jean said. "Until then try and take it easy for the next few hours. That means stay away from Jamie." Dan looked at her quickly "Yes I know about Jamie ganging up on you."

            "I don't know what you're talking about." Dan said quietly

            "Come on Dan I scanned Jamie's memory."

            "Thought you said you'd never use your telepathy to pry?" Jean smiled

            "Well how else was I going to figure out which was the real Jamie?" Dan grinned "just try and avoid him, it's the best you can do right now." Jean paused as Dan pressed the button to open door. "Dam one second. How are you doing powers wise?" Dan shrugged 

            "Same old same old." He said.

            "Well if you need to talk, Scott and I are always around to listen." Dan nodded.

            "Thanks Dr. Grey. I'll see ya." And with that Dan stepped through the doors and made his way down the hall. Taking the elevator upstairs, Dan headed for the kitchen. He looked into the fridge and pushed some of the contents, mostly leftovers aside. Dan made a face as he stared at something with blue fuzz growing on top, sitting in a tray it had appositely no smell what's so ever, it didn't smell bad it didn't smell good. It was impossible to determine what it once was. Curiosity got the better of Dan and he poked it, his curiosity quickly turned to disgust as the 'it' folded like Jell-O and jiggled around a bit before settling back in place. Pushing the 'it' aside Dan spotted what he was looking for. He took the milk carton out and quickly shut the fridge. He looked into the carton then quickly looked around listening for the sound of someone. Deciding he was safe, Dan drank straight from the carton. He wiped the milk off his lip and threw the plastic jug in the recycle bin. Taking the pen attached to a pad of paper on the fridge, Dan wrote "milk." It was everyone's responsibility to write down when the school was out of something. Milk was something they went through on a daily bases, partly because of Dan. Sighing Dan walked down the hall and into the common room and glanced around. Bobby Drake was sitting with Rogue on the couch; Bobby was obviously trying to talk to her and by the looks of things wasn't getting very far. Sitting on the other couch in front of the TV, was Artie, Jubilee, and Jones. Dan stepped over and picked up the case to the DVD to see what they were watching. It was "Meet the Parents." 

            "Hey Dan you wanna watch with us?" Artie asked grinning. Dan was tempted, but he really wasn't in movie mood. A whistle caught Dan's attention. It was Peter, sitting at a table with Flea and a full view of Bobby and Rogue. Dan grinned

            "Maybe later." He said to Artie and pulled out chair next to Peter and across from Flea.

            "Was wonderin when you where gonna show up." Flea said grinning, "your missin quit a show." Peter shot a look in Flea's direction before pulling Dan's backpack from the floor.

            "Thought you might want this." He said. Dan nodded and took his sketchbook out. Taking some of Peter's colored pencils, Dan began coloring in the sketch of Rahne, he stopped when he felt a nudge. Peter had finished his drawing. Flea leaned over Peter's broad shoulders to look and Dan and Flea snorted with laughter. Peter had drawn a cartoon version of Bobby and Rogue in a kiss. Bobby looked like he was being electrocuted, his hair was standing up in a friz  and his eyes were bugging out, Dan was suddenly reminded of a loony tunes cartoon he had seen when he was younger, one where Sylvester had stuck his nail in a electrical socket and got fried. 

            "This I would pay to see." Flea said grinning.

            "In real life?" Dan asked Flea nodded "why would anyone wanna see Bobby gettin fried, I mean outside of a cartoon?"

            "Dan's right it would be wrong." Peter said

            "Then you better say something, cause their going for the gold big guy." Flea said pointing. He was right, the thumb match had been abandoned, they were holding hands and giving each other a look.

            "Uh Peter." Dan said, Peter nodded and opened his mouth to say something. But he never got the chance. The roar of an unmuffled Harley was coming up the driveway and was parking in front of the house. Rogue jumped off the couch and headed out into the foyer. Bobby looked over and Dan, Peter, and Flea with a dejected look before following her out.

            "Aint Scott the only one with a bike?" Flea asked. Dan stood up and moved towards the doorway. He stopped when he felt Peter's hand on his shoulder.     

            "What?"

            "Did Dr. Grey find you?" Dan nodded "and?"

            "Clean bill." Dan answered. Peter gave Dan an 'I don't believe you kind of look.' 'You know.' Dan said in Russian 'Its getting kind of annoying no one believing me. I mean just because I'm twelve doesn't mean I lie.' Peter grinned and ruffled Dan's hair.

            'Why who else isn't believing you?' He asked in Russian. Flea who was making his way over to the couch now that the show was over, looked over in their direction. The entire school was used to Dan and Peter talking to each other in Russian or when Dan talked to other students who could fluently speak another language besides English. It was when Dan started talking in languages no one recognized that just blew their minds.

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I know it seemed kinda short, but the entire thing was huge and I couldn't figure out where to end that chapter. So I figured this was a good spot. The next chapter will be up as soon as possible I promise. But for now Auf wiedersehen!!!!! 


	6. Dan meets Wolverine

Disclaimer: I own Dan that's about it. Everything else belongs to Marvel, and the movie people for X2 X-men United. Some of the quotes you see are directly from the X2 Novel by Chris Claremont.

If you have any questions about Dan that are not answered in this, you can either try reading my X-men Evolution fic, Einstein or just ask me in a review and I'll try to answer them. I know some people do not like reading things where authors add their own characters in to the story but I hope you like this one at least. I would also like to thank Meremew and Clear Shadow for their help in coming up with a title. And thanks to Clear Shadow for all the proofreading that was done. And thanks too Cherry blossomien and thesecretecharmedwriter for their reviews

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            Dan quietly left the common room; he ducked behind one of the large potted plants. The man that stood in the foyer wasn't much taller then Dan himself. He watched as Scott tossed his keys to the man and left. Dan was beginning to wonder if this was the guy Rogue had always told them about. The guy that had saved her life in New York, what was his name? Jackal? No she called him Wolverine. Suddenly Wolverine sniffed the air and at that moment Dan didn't want to be where he was. Dan remembered very well everything Rogue had told them about Wolverine, how he had healing capabilities and the senses of a wild animal. Quickly Dan looked around, he was gone. Dan stood up and walked out into the open. Where'd he go? He thought.

            "Whatcha doin Squirt?" a gruff voice said behind Dan causing the boy to jump. Dan turned around, it was Wolverine. "Hey didn't mean to scare you kid." 

            "Naw." Dan said trying to slow his heart rate down. "Ya didn't."

            "What was with hidin behind the plant?"

            "I wasn't hidin." Dan said toughly "I was er checkin the plants leaves, making sure its healthy." Wolverine nodded obviously trying not too chuckle.

            "You got a name Squirt?" 

            "Yeah." Dan replied defensively "and it aint Squirt." Dan paused for a moment. Why was he hesitating, why didn't it feel right saying his name? Dan was his name, or was it. Dan had been dumped at a Children's Home when he was 1; he had been brought up believing his name was Dan. Why was he suddenly questioning his identity? "Dan." 

            "Not that it's any of my business." Wolverine said "but you seemed kinda hesitant." Dan didn't answer; instead he changed the subject away from him. 

            "Rogue said you have claws, made out of anamantium or somthin. That true?" Wolverine gave a kind of half grin with one eyebrow raised. There was a sinkt kind of noise and out of his right hand right between the webbing came three, long silver colored claws. Dan stared at them. 

            "Maybe."

            "Cool" Dan breathed as the claws retracted.

            "So how old are you Squirt?" Dan looked at Wolverine what was with this Squirt business.

            "12." Dan said

            "What's with the glasses?" Wolverine asked with that grin again "are you just trying to be like Cyclops or-"

            "I don't wear them cause I wanna!" Dan said louder then he actually intended "I gotta wear them if I don't I could blast everything I look at." Dan paused "sorry, my eyes emit the same beam that Cyclops's does." Dan could still hear the movie going in the next room. He grinned "wanna see something funny? See I can control machines, anything with a computer chip in it, as long as its got the memory capabilities, I can control it, fix it, destroy it, and even download it into my memory."

            "So your basically a walking talking computer scanner." Dan grinned,

 "I never thought of it like that, but yeah I guess that's what you could call it."

"So whatcha wanna show me that's funny?" Wolverine asked. Dan nodded to Wolverine to follow him. In the common room, Dan pointed at the TV were Artie, Jones, Jubilee, and now Flea, were watching "Meet the Parents"; they were so absorbed in the movie that none of them noticed him. Dan looked back at Wolverine and grinned, he closed his eyes, held out his hand, and concentrated. Ben Stiller had just come out in the speedo during the cookout scene, when the movie paused. 

"Hey Artie, unpause the movie!" Jubilee said.

"Its not me." Suddenly the picture disappeared turning the screen black. Seconds later the screen returned, however it wasn't "Meet the Parents" that played it was a documentary on African Snails. Dan grinned madly as Jubilee grabbed the remote and tried to change the channel to no avail. Wolverine was grinning that grin of his. Suddenly it got very quiet. Which only lasted about two seconds before.

"DAN!!!!!" Jubilee shouted echoing throughout the mansion. Dan had to duck to avoid getting nailed by a Jubilee deployed energy blast. 

"sorry, sorry," Dan said "I'll fix it." Cautiously he walked over to the TV. Jones and Artie were snickering obviously trying not to laugh. Flea however was on the floor rolling. Grinning Dan placed his hands on the set and instantly the movie returned to the spot they had left it. Peter was shaking his head, trying not to laugh.

"Pretty handy." Wolverine said when Dan returned to the doorway.

"Everyone always gets a kick when I do that. Thought you might like it too." Dan held out his hand "well it was nice meetin you." He said. Wolverine nodded and shook the shook the boys small hands, then left. _He's cool_, Dan thought, he was about to head back in the common room when he saw Storm. "I wonder if they'll let me go with them to Boston." Dan wondered aloud and hurried down the hall to talk to Storm.

"Well Holyfield, how are you?" Dan grinned.

"Are you going to Boston after the guy that attacked the President?" Storm nodded.

"Why?"

"Just wondering." Dan said looking at his feet.

"Child just ask."

"Well can I go with you. I mean it aint really a big mission, cause really whose gonna mess with you and Jean."

"Dan don't you want to stay here?" Dan shrugged. "I can check with Professor Xavier. But I think you should stay here."

"I guess so."

"Well think about it, you students are technically going to have the mansion to yourselves. Minus Logan."

"Logan?"

"Wolverine? Dan nodded

"So his real names Logan?" Storm nodded. "He's gonna babysit us?"

"I don't really see it as babysitting. More like standing guard."

"What? So no one kills anyone?

"That would be a reason."

"Well I guess I'll stay." He grinned "after all if Wolverine's gonna be stopping the fights I outta stay, I make a good instigator." Storm pushed his bangs back motherly choosing too ignore the last comment.

"Dan, have you noticed you have a few more white hairs then you did this morning?"

"Aw man more of them?" Dan said he looked in the mirror in the hall and spotted the white specks.

"Your going to have hair like mine soon."

"Its not like I haven't tried to get rid of them." Dan pointed out "but the Professor wont let me dye my hair." Storm chuckled.

"Dan everything happens for a reason, you should know that."

"Going grey at 12?" Dan exclaimed, his hand motions matching his voice.

"Even that." Storm paused "its special, its something that's yours.

"I guess so."

"For now don't worry about it. Concentrate right now on staying young."

"How can I act like a normal 12 year old, when I know more then most adults can ever hope to know?" Storm placed her hands on his shoulders and faced him down the hall.

"You may have the intelligence of an adult, but the rest of your mind is telling you that your still a child, you still need to be that child. You have youth and someone to share that with." Storm smiled "So are you and Rahne finally a couple?"

"Apparently." Dan replied with a grin.

"Dan you're in such a hurry to catch up with your mind that you're trying to bypass being a child. Go be with Rahne and enjoy your childhood while you can, if you don't you'll wish you had when you're an adult. Sooner then you think you'll be going on missions with the team as Einstein. But for now be Dan not Einstein." Dan nodded.

"Thanks Mrs. Munroe." Dan said and headed down the hall towards Rahne who was sitting on the floor looking out the window with a book open in her lap.

"So whatcha reading?" he asked sitting next to her. She jumped a bit.

"HI!" she exclaimed and hugged him.

"Missed you too." He said grinning. "So did you find Tracy?" Rahne let go of him and nodded.

"Aye, she's feeling better, jus' got spooked by Jamie multiplying." Dan nodded knowingly.

"Yeah I can see how one would be scared by Jamie."

"Are you ever going to get 'im to leave you 'lone?" 

"I aint scared of him I meant that in a hypothetical kinda of mention, as in-" Rahne covered his mouth with her hand. "Ok, ok, Its just I don't see the point of tryin to get him to stop, I might make the situation better." Rahne gave him a look.

"I jus' worry 'bout you."

"I can take care of Jamie," Dan said. "Hey I've got something for you." He said reaching into his bag. 

"What?" he pulled out the picture and handed it too her. She unrolled it and stared at it.

"Dan its…" her voice trailed off.

"If you don't like it I can fix it, it was kinda a spur of the moment kinda thing."

"No I love it"

"Really?" he said masking the shock in his voice.

            "Really." Dan looked into her eyes he could feel her staring at his glasses as if she was staring into his own eyes hidden behind the lenses. For a moment all thoughts left his mind. At this moment Dan didn't care about going on a mission, about who he really was, or that he still felt like something was coming. Rahne leaned closer to him and Dan felt his heart speed up. Was he really shaking as much as he felt? A scent entered Dan's nose, smelling of watermelon and cherry. She must have borrowed it from Kitty, whenever Kitty wore the stuff she used too much, and made everyone around her either gag or held their noses as she passed, but Rahne smelt good. Dan felt his breath caught in his throat, as Rahne got closer too him, Dan had a feeling he knew what was coming. She paused for a moment then kissed his cheek. Ok so they weren't ready too actually kiss yet, Dan was glad, he wasn't as ready as she seemed to be. Instead she held his hand and stared out the window, Dan followed her gaze and caught the sun set. He had never seen colours like that, illuminating the sky in a red, orange, and purple mix.

            "I've never seen a sun set like that." Rahne said

            "Me neither, kinda pretty aint it?" Dan looked down at the courtyard and spotted the Professors Rolyce leaving the driveway and heard the rumble as the X-Jet hovered out of its hold under the basket ball court and take off north.

            "Where they goin?" Rahne asked curiously

            "Storm and Jean are goin to Boston I don't know where Scott and the Prof are going." Rahne grinned

            "So in other words we've got the entire mansion to ourselves? Jus' the students?" Dan shook his head

            "I wish, we have a warden. He aint that bad though."

            "Who?"

            "Remember the guy Rouge was always telling us about, the one that saved her life in New York?" Rahne nodded

            "'im?" she asked

            "Yup."

            "Does 'e really 'ave the claws?" Dan nodded

            "Yeah and the animal instincts, scared the hell out of me when he found me hiding behind the potted plant in the foyer." 

            "So you didn't ask if you could go with Storm and Jean?"

            "Er no, I figured I should stay here, see what kind of trouble I can stir up." Dan said jokingly. He was only kidding of course, Wolverine seemed nice enough but Dan wasn't gonna mess with him. Dan felt his stomach growl and looked at his watch, it was stuck at 2:14. Dan frowned and flicked the watch.

            "What's wrong?"

            "Piece of crap watch is dead." Dan flicked it again then shook it and listened for the ticks, which didn't come. "I don't even think it's the batteries I think the thing just died." Dan took the watch off and shoved it into his pockets. He glanced out the window, then looked at Rahne "its about 7:30 right?" Rahne looked at her own watch then shook her head at Dan grinning.

            "Aye." She answered then looked at him "why don't you jus' use yer power too fix yer watch?" Dan looked at her then at the wall. 

"Er cause it doesn't have a chip in it, nothing too do-" he stopped when Rahne gave him a look. "I think I know where the grey hairs keep coming from." Rahne cocked her head too the side curiously "I think that every time I use that power a new one pops in." Dan said with a sigh "besides the watch is five years old and I think its time for a new one anyways, if I fix it it'll last another five years and I'll be stuck with the same thing for ever." He finished changing the subject. Rahne grinned and nodded as Dan's stomach erupted with more growls.

"A little hungry?" Dan nodded 

"A little" he admitted, "have you eaten yet?"

"No I was waiting for you, you know see if you wanted to eat with me instead of by yerself." Dab grinned

"Well how about I cook you dinner?" Rahne grinned and nodded

"Like what?"

"I don't know." Dan paused "whatcha in the mood for?" Rahne thought for a moment then shrugged. "Oh I know lets do Italian spaghetti with homemade sauce."

"'omemade?"

"Yeah, homemade." Dan stood up and Rahne did the same. Together they walked through the mansion heading towards the kitchen. Rahne slipped her hand into Dan's and smiled when he looked over at her. Dan was still new at all this boyfriend stuff. As soon as he could he was going to talk too one of the older kids, he figured Kevin one of the 16 year olds would be the best idea, he had thought about Bobby but then had remembered the luck Bobby was having just getting Rogue to talk too him he be plan B if Kevin didn't help. At the moment Dan was just winging it, he was relying completely on movies he had seen. He was just hoping he was doing the right thing by offering to cook her dinner. After all that's what Larry had done in Steven Kings "The Stand" which was one of Dan's favorite books and movies. Then again, the women Larry had cooked for ended up being evil and tried too kill him. Dan shook his head with that and continued walking down the hall. He'd just have too keep winging it that was the only way.

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So now its your turn please review no flames!!!!!!!! Guten Tag!!!!! *bows*


	7. Dinner and a freaky story?

Disclaimer: I own Dan that's about it. Everything else belongs to Marvel and the producer people for X-men 2 X-men United. A lot of the quotes are taken from the X2 Novel, written by Chris Claremont.

If you have any questions about Dan that are not answered in this, you can either try reading my X-men Evolution fic, Einstein or just ask me in a review and I'll try to answer them. I know some people do not like reading things where authors add their own characters in to the story but I hope you like this one at least. I would also like to thank Meremew and Clear Shadow for their help in coming up with a title. And thanks to Clear Shadow for proofreading and correcting this and other chapters.

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In the kitchen Dan went too work. He was a fairly good cook, having learned too cook for himself when he was little when Sandy had too work the late shifts and didn't come home before 9. And since most of the other students had already had dinner, he had the entire kitchen too himself. Dan usually ate dinner late, ignoring the 10 o'clock room curfew. So while most students where in bed Dan was in the kitchen having dinner. Once he had the spaghetti simmering in the pot, Dan turned his attention too the sauce. He couldn't remember where he had learned the recipe for the homemade sauce, he just remembered how too make it. Dan chopped up the tomatoes making the pieces small enough too make a semi creamy texture. Dan did all this by hand because that was the best way too make the sauce and he didn't want too risk turning on anything that would make a lot of noise. He drained the spaghetti in the sink, put it back in the pot, added a few pinches of garlic too the sauce and butter too the spaghetti, then poured the creamy sauce into the pot. It smelt so good Dan was afraid that it would attract the students, but the mansion remained quiet. He scooped the spaghetti out of the pot and onto two plates, then carried the two plates out of the kitchen and into the dinning room where Rahne sat pouring some coke into the cups.

"Spaghetti and coke that's a new one." Dan said with a grin. Rahne jumped a bit

"Ya scared me."

"Sorry."

"Its ok, Jones did it too." Dan grinned, Jones the only other student Dan knew of who also ignored the curfew. But while Dan ignored it too eat, Jones ignored it because he didn't sleep and spent the entire night watching TV. He set the plate down in front of Rahne and sat down with his own across from her. She ate a bit and grinned. "This is excellent." Dan felt his ears turn red.

"Thanks."

"Where did ye learn too cook?" 

"Kinda came as a requirement when I was little." Rahne nodded but didn't press the subject. Silently they ate the spaghetti. In the hall the clock struck 8:45. Dan picked up his plate and Rahne's and headed into the kitchen, Rahne followed and together they cleaned up.

"Yer gonna 'afta show me 'ow you made that sauce it was wicked good." Rahne said putting the last plate away.

"You name the time." Dan replied. They walked out of the kitchen and into the common room. "Hey Jones anything good on?" Jones's eyes blinked faster and the channel changed rapidly.

"Nope," he looked over at them. "So are you two finally going out?" Rahne looked over at Dan and both grinned. "You are aren't you?" Jones too grinned "its about ti-"

"If you say it's about time Jones I will turn that TV off, you know I can." Dan threatened holding his hands out towards the TV, but it was kind of hard to take him serious with a grin on his face. 

"-Me for Wheel Of Fortune." Jones said grinning wider and turning his attention back too the television set. Rahne and Dan exchanged a look and started too laugh. Jones grinned but didn't look back at them

"Come on" Dan said "I'll walk you too your room." Upstairs, they walked down the hall towards the girl's end of the house. The door too Rahne's room was ajar and Dan guessed Jade, Rahne's roommate was sitting in bed waiting for Rahne too come in and tell her everything.

"Well night." Rahne said she kissed him on the cheek again before darting into her room and shutting the door. Through the door Dan could her giggles and he heard his name popping up a few times.

"I will never understand girls." He said throwing his hands up in the air and heading back down the hall towards the guys end. He stopped just outside his room and looked into the mirror, he stared at his reflection. The grey hairs, the glasses, and Dan blinked and stared harder, his ears! He poked them, where they really that big?! "Aw man I'm a circus freak!" Dan said softly. "Better call up Barnum and Bailey." The door too his room opened and Peter looked out he had a book in one hand and was leaning against the doorframe.

"Dan, you know you're interrupting the last few chapters of "One Flew over The Cuckoos nest" with your moaning."

"Sorry."

"See I thought the insane moaning was coming from my imagination from reading the book, then I realized, oh it must be Dan."

"Gee thanks Peter." Peter grinned and walked back in the room. Dan glanced at the mirror one last time before following. He pulled off his tee shirt grabbed a pair of boxer shorts and made a dash out of the room down the hall too the bathroom. When he came back Peter was still reading his book for English. Dan, who was also reading the same thing, grinned. Peter looked up and saw Dan grinning.

"Let me guess you already finished it?" 

"Er sorta." Peter shook his head and grinned.

"Well I haven't so no spoiling it." Dan nodded and held up his hands

            "Scouts honour." Dan crawled into his bed and closing his eyes replaced his glasses with his night visor, which he kept next to his bed on the nightstand. He reached over and picked up the book he was reading now that he had finished "Cuckoos nest" "Poe" Dan loved Poe's work, his favorite story was "Cask of Amontillado" and his favorite poem was "The Raven" he knew both stories by heart and why not, he had read them enough times. He just couldn't get enough of Poe's work. "Once upon a midnight dreary while I pondered weak and weary" Dan recited adopting an eerie voice "over many a quaint and curious volumes of forgotten lore-" Dan was reciting the poem just above whisper when suddenly a pillow hit him. He looked around hurriedly and saw Peter arms across the room in his bed, arms crossed across his chest. 

            "Try reciting that in your head Einstein."

            "Aw, but Peter." Dan said grinning "I want too add too the drama of the story."

            "What story?"

            "A group of school children all alone in a enormous mansion, the only adult sleeps down the hall. It seems like a calm normal night, a cool breeze blows outside while a light rain pitter-patters on the roof creating a calming noise. When suddenly the pitters increase turning into a roar of rain. Thunder clashes shaking the entire house as though an earthquake had rocked their school. The lightening so bright it turns night into day." The door too their room opened and Bobby, Kevin, John, Artie, and a couple other boys Joe who was 18 and Keith who was 14, came into the room.

            "What's going on?" Bobby asked with a grin

            "Danny's telling one of his famous 'lets scare the shit out everyone before they go to sleep' stories again?" Kevin asked Peter nodded. "Well keep going don't let us stop you Midge." Behind his visor Dan glared but didn't say anything.

            "Ok where was I?" he grinned "ah yes the students one by one crawled out of bed and left their rooms. In the halls each are asking the same thing 'had they heard the noise'

            "What noise?" Peter asked he had abandoned reading Cuckoos nest and was also listening intently too Dan's story. Artie and Keith where sitting on the floor. John had taken up residence sitting at Dan's desk, while Kevin sat at Peter's. Bobby was leaning against the wall and Dan was in the middle of this, sitting cross-legged on his bed.

            "The noise that had driven the students from their beds. It was not the thunder you see, that was a noise all of them had heard before. No the noise which they all spoke of was a strange noise, the sound of groaning, inhuman groans that seemed too pass through each room in turn bringing with it a cold feeling, which turned the rooms into freezers for a fleeting moment then when the groan was gone so was the cold feeling, entering the next room." The boys all looked at Bobby who grinned and shrugged.

            "Don't look at me."

            "Together, the students made their way through the halls and down the stairs into the large foyer. In the common room just beyond the foyer one of their fellow classmates was watching television as he always did. When the older students went too check on the boy and too ask if he had heard the noise, they found the boy passed out on the floor, a look of pure horror on his face. He was white as a ghost and covered with frost, the look of horror frozen on his face. "Lets wake up the teacher." One of the girls suggested. "If it turns out too be just our imaginations" one of the other girls said "we'll never hear the end of it." Suddenly the noise floated through the house once again it passed through each of the students scaring them each too death. As each one dropped a mask of horror passed over their faces and their bodies turned cold and frozen. The horrified look forever frozen upon their faces. The cause of the deaths was never determined, and who knows maybe it will never be, just beware on stormy nights, and if you hear a noise that your not sure of. Think twice before you go and investigate it." Dan paused "or you might be next." Suddenly the room became very cold, there was a loud raping at the window and everyone except Dan and Bobby jumped. Artie looked so scared Dan thought he was going to wet himself. John had stopped clicking his lighter. Standing on the balcony was 14-year-old Matt. Dan fell back on his bed laughing.  

            "God Damn it Dan!" John said loudly. Dan was still rolling on the bed laughing, Matt teleported in also laughing. Bobby was leaning against the wall for support he was laughing so hard. 

            "So" Dan said when the laughing had pretty much ceased. Artie, Kevin, and Joe had joined in laughing but John still looked kind of peeved. "Whatcha think of that one?"

            "That was good Dan." Kevin said "you really scared the shit out of us before we go too sleep." 

            "Hey I couldn't have done it without Bobby and Matt." Dan had used his telepathic power too let Bobby in on the idea when he had come in, and he had told Matt earlier and all Matt had too do was use his teleporting power too teleport up onto the balcony and wait for the single from Dan (if you've seen the first movie, the kid that they showed passing the Basketball too himself is the kid I brought into this, they never say his name but he looked like a Matt.). He looked over at John who had returned too clicking his Zippo.

            "Good story kid." John finally said and Dan sighed with relief. Things got a little too hot for Dan's liking when John was mad. The last time he had pissed John off was when he had used his computer power too shut John's CD player completely down. John had literally chased Dan with fire until Bobby had frozen the fire and saved Dan from any burns. "Where the hell do you come up with these?"

            "I don't know they just come too me, maybe I should be a writer or something."

            "Well whatever it was a great job." Bobby said

            "Yeah great job." Joe said, he poked Artie who was still breathing heavy his tongue hanging out. "Lets go snake boy." Joe said dragging Artie out of the room. "Night."

            "Yeah night." Bobby said leaving, followed by Kevin, John, and Matt. 

            "Ok no more stories tonight." Peter said "I've got too finish this book." Dan yawned and looked at his wrist forgetting for a moment that he didn't have his watch anymore. He glanced at the alarm clock on Peter's side of the room. 11:00 Peter had gone back too his book. Dan yawned again and could feel himself getting drowsy he put his Poe book under his pillow.

            "Night Peter." He said.

            "Night." Dan switched the light over his bed off, pulled his covers up over his head too block out the light from Peter's side of the room and quickly fell asleep.

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Ok yeah that little story that Dan told, that was a spur of the moment kinda thing. Hope you liked it. Anyways, hope you liked this chapter. Great too keep hearing from you all. Thanks too the Cherry blossomien, thesecretecharmedwriter, Clearshadow, and to the latest reviewer Labyris. Keep those reviews comin! I'm feelin review debrived.


	8. All hell breaks loose

Disclaimer: Word of warning before I continue…..This chapter is long….Very long. I couldn't find a place to end the thing so I just let it be very long. Ok on with the disclaimer now that I have warned you.

Disclaimer: I own Dan that's about it. Everything else belongs to Marvel and the movie people for X2 X-men United. Some of the quotes you see in the text came from the X2 novel by Chris Claremont. 

If you have any questions about Dan that are not answered in this, you can either try reading my X-men Evolution fic, Einstein or just ask me in a review and I'll try to answer them. I know some people do not like reading things where authors add their own characters in to the story but I hope you like this one at least. I would also like to thank Meremew and Clear Shadow for their help in coming up with a title. And thanks to Clear Shadow for proofreading and correcting this and other chapters. Thanks!!!!! And now please read and review!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

            Thanks to my reviewers: 

Clear Shadow chan: I have checked my mail what about you?

Labyris: I'm glad you think it was well written hopefully the updates just as good.

Cherryblossomjen: I still thank you for your reviews and for you help

Thesecretecharmedwriter: glad you like it too, 

Hope to hear from all of you! Now please read!!! And enjoy!

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That night Dan enjoyed a great dream as opposed to the nightmares he usually faced when he slept. This dream was one of the best dreams he could remember. He was at a racetrack watching the motorcycles race around the track. Dan had never actually been too a race track, but had loved watching all kinds of races on TV, modified, trucks, funny cars, and the bikes, they where his favorite where the love had come from and why he was dreaming of this track Dan had no idea. From what he could remember Dan had never been too a track. He was so close too the bikes being right in the pits with them that he could feel the breeze as the racers whizzed past. He had a headset on and was able too hear the racers, speaking too their pit crews, not in English but in Italian. The roar of the bikes was so loud Dan could barely hear the screams of the crowd. They almost didn't sound like bikes but choppers. When Dan looked up into the skies he could see the film choppers filming the exciting race. The sunlight was so bright that Dan could barley see he had too put his hand up too his eyes too block out the light, he hand touched his face, his glasses where gone and yet he wasn't blasting anyone. His optic blasts where gone, Dan was so happy he cheered with the rest of the fans. As the bikes went into the final few laps, the stadium erupted with cheers. Somewhere in the stands someone began screaming, screaming so loud that it blocked out everything. The roar of the bikes, the crowd cheering, and the noise from the choppers hovering a few hundred feet above. The screaming was becoming so loud that Dan couldn't hear the team's racer, the racers where rounding the last corner, it was going to be close; Dan really wished the screamer would shut up. They where almost there, the flag was up, Dan could feel his heart racing with excitement, was it going to be their racer who won!?

Suddenly Dan woke up with a start; he looked around still believing he was dreaming. Peter was sitting up also; Dan realized that the screams weren't in his dream. That was Tracy! Tracy was screaming, and that wasn't a normal scream, something was wrong. Dan looked at Peter.

            "Stay here!" Peter commanded jumping out of bed.

            "Like hell!" Dan said he grabbed an old tee shirt off the end of his bed and pulled it over his head. He quickly grabbed his glasses before following Peter out of the room. Out in the hall, students where rushing everywhere. Bright lights filled the halls from the windows and Dan could see the choppers right outside. "We're under attack?" he said softly "by who? We're a freakin school!" Tracy's screams had died down and Dan quickened his pace. He slowed as he rounded a corner and quickly stopped in his tracks, he saw who had invaded the school. Soldiers, in camouflage and full commando gear, loaded down with machine guns, MP5's, and from what Dan could see heat sensors. They had guns and where shooting students as they came into range. Dan used his TK power too move one of the bullets out of the path of a student and over too him, he picked it up and sniffed it. It was some kind of sleeping drug. He threw it too the ground. They where knocking everyone out, they where probably what had spooked Tracy, and the dart was probably the reason she stopped screaming, they had gotten her.

            "OK there's more of them this way." One of the soldiers said too his partner. Dan looked, two of the youngest students twins Jeff and Katrina who where 9, where backed against the wall, too scared it seemed too run, too scared too even use their powers. "Look two of them" the soldier with the heat sensor said pointing to the screen, "says their right over here." The soldiers began moving towards the two. Dan took a deep breath; it was a written and unwritten rule, the older students look after the younger ones. Dan closed his eyes, held out his hands, and prayed he was close enough. "What the hell!"

            "What's wrong?!"

            "Damn piece of shit just died on me. Forget the heat sensor." He took out a flashlight and shone it around, it landed directly on Katrina and Jeff's faces. "There they are, nail them!" Dan opened his eyes for a quick second, closed them again, unclipped his visor, lowered it just a bit, took aim, and opened his eyes nailing the pistol out of the soldier's hands. He quickly re-clipped his visor behind his head.

"Look there's another one!" his partner shouted and aimed his pistol at Dan. He used his TK power and threw the two soldiers into the wall. 

"Come on!" he shouted too the kids, who looked stunned for a moment. They quickly ran over too him, Katrina was crying she threw her arms around Dan's middle and held onto his sobbing into his shirt. Dan put his hands on her shoulders and knelt down so he was eye level with her; she fell into him still sobbing silent tears on his shoulder. "Its ok, you guys are safe now I won't let anything happen to you" Jeff had been trying to look tough now looked near tears too. 

"Dan I'm scared," Katrina said softly

"Me too," Jeff admitted 

"Why are they attacking us? What did we do wrong?" Dan wasn't sure how to answer that; he took a deep breath and put a hand on Jeff's shaking shoulders,

"I don't really know guys, but I do know that I'm going to get you guys out of here,"

"I don't feel so good," Katrina said her voice quivering Dan wasn't as strong as Peter was, he couldn't even come close, so Dan knew he couldn't carry both kids, hell he didn't even think he'd be able too carry one of them. But he'd give it a try; he knelt down and pulled Katrina up onto his back. 

"Hang on tight ok?"

"Ok," she said wrapping her small legs around his middle and hanging on tight to his neck, Dan could feel her choking him, but didn't say anything. He took Jeff by the hand and held his glasses in the other. With the two of them clinging to him, it was hard too move very fast, Katrina wasn't heavy, but Dan wasn't very strong, he was quick and athletic but not muscular at all. Dan did his best though, and they went as fast as they could, down the opposite hall, a shortcut too the girls end. He had too find Rahne. He saw Peter with Tracy in his arms, ushering a bunch of students into one of the built in passageways that ran throughout the entire mansion. Katrina slid off his back and grabbed her brother's hand. Giving them a comforting smile, Dan pushed Katrina and Jeff towards the passageway.

"Dan you're not coming with us?" Katrina asked

"No I have to go get the other students, you guys go with Peter he'll look after you, I'll be right behind you guys ok?" Jeff and Katrina smiled sadly  

            "Come on Dan!" Peter said gesturing for him too go.

            "No not till I find Rahne!" Dan shouted and took off again.

            "Dan get back here!" Peter's shouts echoed after him but Dan chose not to answer he kept running. He ran until he felt something trip him, he hit the floor hard and felt his ankle twist underneath him. He pulled himself too his feet and nearly collapsed as pain shot up from his ankle. He looked too see what had tripped him; it was a soldier, laying against the wall a puddle of blood forming at his side. Dan carefully put his index and middle finger together and touched the guy's neck feeling for a pulse, which he didn't find. Dan swallowed and backed away, it was a war they had been attacked and some people had lost their lives. Why the hell was someone doing this? Glancing around, Dan took the soldiers hands and placed them folded on the man's chest, then mumbled a quick pray. His next thought was that he hoped that none of the other students had gotten hurt or Dan gulped worse. A multiple wave radio blared out calling for backup somewhere in the mansion, Dan picked the radio up and looked at it for a moment and with all his strength threw the radio down the hall, it hit the one of the reinforced steel walls and smashed into pieces. Behind him the window was alight with the choppers blinding lights. Seconds later the window exploded, Dan fell too the floor and covered his head with his hands as the glass fragments and pieces of metal rained down on him. He felt a few pieces hit him on the back and could feel them rip through his shirt and nail into his skin; he reached behind and tried too feel his back for any glass in his back. When he felt none, Dan quickly got too his feet and hopped on one foot, trying to avoid the pieces of glass that littered the floor. His ankle throbbed with pain, but he ignored it. Dan half ran half limped down the hall towards Rahne's room. Up ahead, Dan saw the outline of somebody but couldn't see who it was clearly. The light from the helicopter was so bright that he couldn't tell if it was a soldier or another student standing there.

            "Rahne." He called out softly, at this point if it was a soldier he didn't care; if they wanted him they'd have a hell of a fight on their hands. Einstein wasn't the kind of guy to take getting attacked. The figure turned, it wasn't Rahne and it wasn't a soldier, it was Rogue.

            "Dan?!" Rogue said rushing over to him, she put a gloved hand on his shoulder and hugged him; he winced when she touched his back but kept quiet. "Why aren't you with Peter?"

            "Had too find Rahne." He said his head was pounding, his back ached, and his ankle was hurting every time he tried to put pressure on it. "Have you seen her?" he asked trying to maintain his balance on one foot, while his head spun. Rogue shook her head

            "No," she said and put out a hand too hold Dan up as he nearly lost his balance again. "Are you ok?" she asked

            "Yeah," he said, keeping his voice steady "I'm good. Couldn't be better."

            "Rogue!" Dan looked towards the familiar voice. It was John with Bobby in tow; Dan had thought they had booked out with Peter and the others.

            "Bobby" Rogue cried,

            "Dan what the hell are you doing I thought you were with Peter?" Bobby asked when he noticed Dan.   

            "I had too find Rahne." He said John looked at Bobby 

            "Where have I heard that before?" he said with a smirk

            "Shut up John." Bobby said and Dan nodded in agreement.

            "Wait where's Logan?" Rogue asked Dan looked at Bobby, where was the guy that was supposed too be babysitting them. Dan grabbed onto the wall for support as a fresh wave of pain hit him hard. At that moment he couldn't decide which hurt more, his back or his ankle. "Where is he?" Rogue asked again in a gruff voice that rivaled Wolverine's. John stepped forward trying to help Dan, who brushed him away. 

            "I'm fine leave me alone," he said staring at Rogue,

            "Downstairs." Bobby answered, his voice quivering, Dan could tell something had happened downstairs. A quick thought flashed through Dan's mind, had Jones gotten out of the way of the ambush? He was about to ask Bobby when Rogue gestured for them too follow her. Suddenly the hall was filled with light that put a sunny summer day too shame. Dan put his hand up too his glasses trying too shield his eyes from the light. Two shapes could vaguely be seen in the glare, Rogue grabbed John, Bobby grabbed Rogue, and John grabbed Dan, they crumbled into a heap as an explosion rocked the mansion. Sending more debris and shrapnel into the hall. Dan was at the bottom of the pig pile. He could see down the hall and saw more soldiers. Red lasers peeked through the smoke, Dan felt his heart quicken with fear. They weren't darting anymore, Dan gulped they where actually shooting with machineguns. Each door was shot open with the gun, a stun grenade was thrown inside, then the soldiers went in to finish the job. John moved suddenly and accidentally hit Dan's glasses out of his hand. Everything seemed too be in slow motion as Dan's glasses fell through the air and landed not on the rug that was spread down the middle of the hall. It landed right on the hard wood floor, echoing with a loud clink, everything seemed too be silent. For a moment no one said anything, the ruby quartz in Dan's glasses made them extremely heavy, though no one said it out everyone was thinking the same thing, did the soldiers hear that? Slowly Bobby reached forward and picked them up and handed them back too Dan who couldn't stop his whole body from shaking. John pulled Dan too his feet and the four of them quickly slipped down the hall. Dan was doing his best too keep up with the other three. It wasn't easy, every step was agony, and his shirt wasn't helping by sticking too his back digging into the cuts from the glass making his back just add too the pain. Dan had finally given into John's help, as they made their way down the stairs, Rogue in the lead. As Dan looked around he felt strange, it didn't seem like the place he had grown too call home, it was like a whole new place, like when he went too a new foster home. Everywhere they looked there was soldiers, full armed and shooting anything that moved, whether it was a shadow or a curtain blowing in the wind that was coming in from the broken windows. Suddenly Rogue stopped short, so short that the other three slammed into her. Dan detached himself from the group and looked around to see what had caused Rogue to stop short. He had his hand on his visor, ready to fire his optic blasts. His mouth dropped open in shock at the scene, bodies, all soldiers where scattered around. It looked like a war zone, He wanted too say something but nothing came out, he was stunned. Dan had never seen anything like this outside of movies. Swallowing Dan began mumbling unintelligible in first German, then French, then Swedish, then finally in English. When Dan was scared or saw something that shocked him, he would start to pray in different languages, what ever language happened to come to mind. The others where used to this, even though they had no idea what he was saying, it was the only way they could tell when Dan was truly scared.

            "Logan was here" John said, Dan felt his heart quicken its pace this was too much, a part of Dan believed deeply believed that this was all just a nightmare, that he was actually sleeping in his bed upstairs and if he closed his eyes and opened them again he'd wake up and none of this carnage would have happened. Dan closed his eyes and slowly opened them,

            "This is old news," Bobby said and Dan sighed it was still real it was still happening he wasn't dreaming. John pulled Dan's arm around his shoulder supporting the boy. "We can't stay here, Rogue, we're sitting ducks. We keep running after him like this, we'll just get ourselves into trouble."

            "Ja," Dan said in German then quickly shook his head and said in English "I mean yea, their not gonna stop looking until the mansion is clear" Rogue didn't answer in fact she didn't move. Dan followed her gaze her chest was covered in green dots. Dan felt his body start too shake, he followed the dots too their source, a team of soldiers at the end of the hall weapons locked and loaded and ready to fire on their targets. Dan was shaking so much he couldn't even move his hand too unbuckle his visor to fire his optic blasts, which could easily take on the soldier's guns. He looked down at his own chest and saw to his horror that his white tee was speckled with green dots, just like Rogue, he closed his eyes and waited for the gun shots. But it never came; Dan heard a scream that resembled an animal battle cry, seconds later. Wolverine jumped over the railing upstairs, down towards the group of soldiers arms extended and claws out ready to strike like a panther attacking its prey. The soldiers didn't stand a chance. Bobby turned away and Rogue seemed mesmerized, Dan was too scared too move, he kept his eyes shut for the most part, but every now and then he couldn't stop himself. Suddenly the hall was alive with bright lights from outside. Dan finally was able to move and covered his face with his arm, the soldiers opened fire, the noise was deafening and Dan would have stayed rooted in the same spot had Logan not picked him up, pushing after the others. John had reached the nearest escape passage first, he opened the door and leaped inside; Logan put Dan down and literally passed him to Bobby. Rogue paused; Dan could hear Wolverine telling her to keep going and heard the passage door shut. He was leaning against the wall trying to keep his eyes open as the room spun, the last time his head had hurt this bad or felt like this was when his optic blasts had emerged. Dan felt John pull his arm once again around his neck and before Dan could protest he was between Bobby and John. They turned to find Rogue unmoving from the entrance to the passage staring at the closed door. Bobby made sure John was supporting Dan who was too weak to fight the help anymore, before he pulled at Rogue's arm trying to get her to follow.

            "Wait, you've got to do something" she said Bobby and John looked shocked Dan stared at her knowing where she was heading with this,

            "Damn straight," John said "run like hell why we've got a chance."

            "They're going to kill him!" Dan looked at Bobby and John who exchanged a look then looked at Dan who shrugged. Dan knew what they where thinking, they had all seen Logan in action, Dan didn't believe that he could be in danger if anyone was really in danger on the other side of that wall, it was the soldiers that had attacked them.

            "Yeah right," John said expressing into words what the others where all thinking. "He can handle himself, Rogue. Let's book!"

            "Bobby, Dan? Please" she was pleading now; Dan could hear it in her voice, "their going to kill him." Dan looked at Bobby who seemed to be completing the situation. Dan wanted to help Wolverine he really did, but Dan wasn't sure what he could do, without a visor like Scott's with release studs, Dan's optic blasts where useless it was hard keeping his visor on then moving it timing it just right too fire. The only good Dan really could do was to separate the soldiers weapons from them. Bobby looked at Dan once again Dan nodded and pushed John's arm away. He limped after Bobby and Rogue who headed towards the entrance. Opening it, Bobby placed his hand on the wall; Dan peeked out from under Bobby's arm. Immediately the room's temperature plummeted, and solid wall of ice emerged between Wolverine and the group of soldiers that had formed. Once the wall was complete, Dan put his hands to his head and concentrated hard; using his telekinetic powers too reinforce the ice wall, making it nearly indestructible. Wolverine shot a look in their direction, John jumped further into the passage very quickly; Dan cautiously stepped back into the passage following John. Wolverine looked ready to kill someone and Dan didn't want to be that someone. He could hear Rogue and Logan talking, him telling her to leave. She must have said something to change his mind, because seconds later Wolverine joined them in the passage. John was in the lead still supporting Dan, Logan brought up the rear. Dan moved from John and limped along doing his best to keep up at one point he fell behind Rogue and Bobby and was between them and Logan who pushed him gently keeping him from falling too far behind. When they reached the junction, John went left

            "John no" Bobby said

            "This is where Petey and the others went."

            "I've got a better idea, this way." Dan knew at once where he was going, the garage which was separate from the main house and was separated into a private and public. The upstairs was where all the normal cars, the SUV's, the vans. The basement withheld the more equipped vehicles, ones that Dan had always wanted to get into and examine, especially the ones Scott had designed himself, those where the most appealing. Scott had promised Dan that he would show him these. Dan knew that one of the reasons would be that if anything went wrong he'd be the one who could fix it, he had already helped Jean once with the Blackbird, the X-men's jet, he had upgraded the COM links in the jet giving it a power surge with his own computer power. John made a dash for Scott's car, he propped open the door and said

            "I'm driving,"

            "In your dreams smart-ass" Logan said pushing him away "boys in the back," grumbling John climbed in. Dan was in between Bobby and John very squished, Rogue road shotgun with Bobby right behind her.

            "This is Scott's car," Bobby said

            "Oh yeah"

            "Yeah" Dan managed to say

            "We'll need the keys," Dan was thinking that they technically didn't need the keys, he could easily power up the car from where he was sitting; but he didn't say anything he was so tired he wasn't in the mood to use his computer power or any of his powers for that matter; he just wanted to wake up from this damn nightmare safe and sound in his bed at the institute. There was a snikt noise as Logan extended one of his claws and stabbed it through the ignition; Dan leaned forward a bit, watching; he had just hotwired Scott's car. Dan hadn't thought that was possible; he leaned into the seat as Logan started the car and tore out of the garage and out onto the main road. All that had happened seemed like a bad dream, he really kept expecting to close his eyes and wake up in his bed at the institute. Logan was racing the car speeding down the twisty turning roads at top speeds without headlights, Dan was positive they where going to die in that car and he had run out of languages to pray in, he didn't even know if he was prayin in a known language. . Dan couldn't even tell where they where going.

            "Uhh you could maybe slow down, you know" Bobby said uncomfortably 

            "Like hell," John answered "go faster dude, get us the hell away from here, please." Dan sighed and could feel sleep taking over, he tried to fight it….Tried desperately to fight it. But like an itch that refuses to go away sleep eventually over took the boy, his last thoughts where not of the night's events, but of the dinner he and Rahne had shared before all hell broke loose and his last pray was that  her and his friends where all safe and sound and they'd see each other again soon. Dan leaned his head against his arms which lay crossed on his knees and quickly feel asleep thinking of his friends.

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Yes I know long very long chapter. I hope it was good, I'm sorry it took so long to post, but I was trying to find a good spot to end the darn thing. But happiness I found it. So now if you would be so kind as to send your thoughts, reviews please, just no flames…Flames bad. *bows* danke 

                        Sharpsnout (ooo I'm liking this style of signature I may use this more often.)


	9. A quiet little Boston suburb? Ya right

Disclaimer: I own pretty much nothing, Dan and his computer power their mine, 'long with his parents…Everything else belongs to Marvel and the people behind X2…A lot of the quotes also seen are from the novel by Chris Claremont so that's who owns that stuff not me…

Sorry its taken so long to update…you wanna talk writers block….

Dan: Sharpsnout don't lie…you where distracted

Ya, ya, ya, I was distracted by the movie so sue me…anyways its up now so read and enjoy! See you at the bottom of the page!

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                        ***Dream Sequence* (borrowing this from my friend Clear Shadow…if ppl talking like this their talking in Italian reason? I'm sick of fighting with the altavista translator, it never translates stuff right, and I don't have a book that translates Italian just one that translates German.)**

            "Toni, go get Leo! I'll get some things together" Dan looked around someone was speaking Italian; he wasn't in the speeding car escaping from the military. He was in a house, a rather large elegant house, a man possibly in his early 30s sprinted past him up the stairs. Curious, Dan followed him into a child's bedroom, decorated with racecars, motorcycles, and NASCAR memorabilia. There was something vaguely familiar about this room. The man walked over to where a figure was sleeping in bed.

            "Leo, Leo wake up son," the man said Dan looked at the boy who sat up and rubbed his eyes.

            "Dad what's goin on?" Dan's mouth dropped, that boy was him! But he looked about 6, maybe 7; he thought he had been dumped with the State of New York when he was just a baby. Maybe if this all was true, this was why he couldn't remember being at foster homes until he was 7. He hadn't been at any,

            "we're going on a trip to New York his father said "to see Professor Xavier…you remember him right? the boy nodded

            "Ya! But I have school tomorrow Dad 'member?"

            "Not tomorrow you don't, think of it as a day off."

            "Ok,"

            "Good boy, get dressed and get your backpack." Dan couldn't take his eyes off the man that was his dad; he couldn't remember ever knowing his father but if this wasn't just a dream; then everything he had believed wasn't real. If this was real, then his name wasn't Dan it was Leo and his parent's hadn't dumped him at some orphanage. Something happened to them.

                                    ***end dream sequence***

            "Dan?" he looked around that sounded like Bobby, "Dan wake up," his eyes slowly opened and looked around. It was morning and the car was stopped in front of a two level house in a quiet neighborhood.

            "Whe…where are we?" he asked softly trying to wake up 

            "Quincy Mass, at my house come on," Dan rubbed the back of his head. His glasses where still clutched tightly in his hand, there was even the imprint of them in his hand, sighing, Dan crawled out of the car, and followed the group up the steps and into the house. Bobby pushed open the door, "Dad? Mom? Ronny?" he called looking around "guess we got the place to ourselves." Dan looked around the house it seemed nice, kind of like the houses he thought he had lived in before the Institute. "I'll try to find you guys some clothes," Bobby said he looked at John "and you don't burn anything." Dan followed Bobby and Rogue upstairs, out of the 4 of them he was the worse looking, while the four of them still had night clothes on, Dan was the only one who really looked like he had went through World War Three. John had been so kind to point out that his tee-shirt was covered in blood and had he had a nice trip. Bobby opened up a door at the top of the landing. "This is my brother's room, might be something that will fit you," Dan nodded and looked around the messy room as Bobby dug through the draws.

            "Nice room," he said

            "Ya, Ronny's kinda a slob," Dan grinned "here these might be a little big on you but least you can get out of that shirt." Dan took the jeans and tee-shirt Bobby handed him, "you can get changed in here, just head downstairs when you're done." He reached into the closet and pulled out an old blue Red Sox hat "want a hat? Its from Ronny's little league days"

            "What for?"

            "Keep your glasses hidden a bit? I've seen Cyclops do it sometimes," Dan nodded and put the hat on the bed behind him. 

            "Thanks Bobby,"

            "No problem Midge,"

            "What about my shirt?" Dan asked "it's covered in blood,"

            "Leave it on the floor, I'll take care of it later," Dan nodded

            "K," he said, Bobby nodded and closed the door behind him. Dan pulled off his tee and stared at it, it was torn and very bloody. He saw a mirror on a bureau and picking up one of the CDs that lay on the floor saw for the first time the damage the explosion back at the mansion had down to his back. The wounds looked they had only just closed, they hurt like hell and Dan was surprised that he hadn't passed out sooner from all the blood he had lost. Sighing, he dropped the tee to the floor and pulled on the one Bobby had given him, it was way too big on him, but Dan was thankful for that; it meant that the shirt was baggy enough that it wouldn't touch his cut up back too much. On the front it said Quicksilver, the sleeves where so long they easily surpassed Dan's elbows and almost to his wrists. The shirt itself nearly touched his knees which where scrapped up with small droplets of dried blood, looking at his ankle Dan saw how just swollen it was. "Great" he muttered.

Shaking his head, Dan pulled on the jeans and rolled his eyes when he discovered they too where a bit too large on his small frame. Against his better judgment he went digging around in Bobby's bother's closet, trying to find a belt. He was glad to find one that was small enough to fit him. The jeans still crumbled on the floor, but weren't that bad when Dan pulled on the pair of sneakers Bobby had managed to find. Changing his nightvisor for his actual glasses, he found the jeans came with an abundance of large pockets and Dan slipped his visor carefully into the pocket that hung near his knees so he wouldn't lose it. 

A TV set in the corner of the room caught his attention; he knelt in front of it to turn it on and discovered it was one of the models that could only be turned on by the remote, which seemed to be among the missing. Sighing loudly, Dan closed his eyes and put his hand on the TV turning it on and found Fox News, 

"-The base of mutant terrorists, located in Westchester County, New York was seized by the military early this morning, an untold number of mutants escaped, while a large number were taking into custody, more information when it becomes available, this is Dari Alexander back to William in the studio." Dan felt his stomach drop and his breath quicken, some of the students had been captured….

"Rahne…" Dan said out loud, _please let her be safe please let them all be safe he thought he felt chills run up his back and rubbed his arm, he suddenly didn't want to stay in the room with the news on, but couldn't move to use his power to turn off the television. Instead he grabbed the hat Bobby had given him and dashed out of the room and downstairs. He found John in the family room staring at the pictures._

"Nice clothes kid, look just a little too big though," he said grinning and clicking his lighter again. Dan grinned evilly and looked at John

"Nein Scheiße sherlock sehe ich Sie havent gebrannt allem" (translation 'No shit Sherlock, I see you haven't burned everything') John looked at him 

"Will ya start speakin English kid? He said and jokingly pushed the boy a little harder then he intended, Dan's back met the wall and he nearly screamed out in pain, it was all he could to not show the pain on his face as he gasped for breath. "Hey you ok?"

"Ya…just dandy…" Dan said gasping for breath

"Sorry about that, I forgot about your back,"

"Thanks Pyro…"

"So what did you say?"

"Nein Scheiße sherlock sehe ich Sie havent gebrannt allem?"

"Ya that, what's it mean?"

"Er it means nice house huh?" John looked at him like he didn't believe him, but turned his attention back to the pictures that scattered the wall, pictures of the Drake family. Dan knew what he was thinking without even needing his telepathy; the look on John's face gave it away, it was a look that Dan had often had on his own face when he entered a new foster home where the family portraits scattered the walls making him feel even more like an outsider. There came a stumble from upstairs and Dan assumed it was Bobby; he looked at John whose look of hatred increased "John?" John looked at him sharply for a moment

"What?" 

"I know how ya feel…." He said simply and walked off in search of the bathroom. Dan sighed with relief when he found one; inside he rummaged through the medicine cabinets until he found what he was looking for…an ace bandage. "Bingo" he said, he put everything he had taken out in search of the bandage and took off his sneaker and wrapped his ankle, his pants where long enough that they easily hid the bandage…no one would know his ankle was wrapped or that it bothering him. Looking back in the medicine cabinet Dan found a bottle of Advil, he opened the cap and tapped two tablets into his hand, sighing he filled a Dixie cup with water and swallowed the pill, he hoped that would stop his head ach, Dan had built up an immunity to Advil. It didn't work if he only took one pill, his head hadn't hurt this much since he had first moved into the mansion after Xavier and Jean had found him at the Orphanage after being kicked out of his 5th foster home. He didn't eat too much which was normal for him, but had begun to get painful headaches a day or two after moving in. 

It was Storm who had first noticed something was wrong; during class Dan would suddenly rub his temple then his forehead, then his eyes, a look of pure pain on his face. A few days later he had been sitting in English with Xavier when a sharp pain shot through his head, unable to stop himself Dan had screamed out in pain clutching his head, he had curled up into a fetal position on the floor keeping his head covered. Xavier had called Scott, Jean, and Ororo telepathically and Scott had carried Dan down to the medlab. When Jean asked the frightened boy what hurt he had replied in a shaky voice that it was right behind his eyes, there was a sharp burning feeling right behind his eyes. Both Scott and Xavier knew instantly what was wrong with Dan though Xavier had hoped they where wrong. They hadn't been, not even 3 hours after Dan had fallen to the floor in class out of pain he opened his eyes suddenly and the optic blasts blasted right into the wall sending the boy flying into the opposite wall knocking him unconscious instantly. When he woke up, Scott gave him his glasses and nightvisor and explained the optic blasts to the boy. Even though he had known he couldn't hurt anyone as long as his glasses where on securely, Dan slowly slipped into a state of heavy depression, realizing that he could have killed someone with his optic blasts and that thought constantly haunting him. He avoided classes and the school in general, he would walk around outside and explore the grounds figuring he couldn't hurt anyone outside. 

Dan stopped eating all together and his headaches worsened, he was able to lie that he was eating, but everyone could see how much weight the already skinny teen was losing. Scott offered to take Dan away from the mansion for a day, to a place he would like, to get his mind off everything and hopefully finally talk about what was going on. Scott took Dan to New York State park, where there was virtually no people just them and nature. Dan slowly started coming out of his depression shell, especially after listening to Scott tell him about his own past. They spent the entire day hiking around the state park were Dan's spirit really came alive, the plan had worked, Dan didn't think about mutants or his powers at all, not once that day. By the time they had returned to the mansion, Dan's headaches had vanished. 

Dan closed the lid on the Advil and slipped the container back into the medicine cabinet and closed the door. He stared at his reflection, suddenly he didn't feel like a freak as he had the previous night at the mansion, maybe Storm was right everything even the white streaks scattering his black hair, they were who he was, he may not know his true past or if his name really was Dan. But he was finally starting to realize he respected who he was as Dan, Einstein, or even if Leo was who he really was. 

Suddenly the sound of car doors slamming caught Dan's attention and brought him out of his thought. "Uh oh," he said aloud and headed out of the bathroom, the Drake family was home and by the looks of things…weren't too happy something told Dan there was gonna be trouble. He pulled the hat further down so the visor just touched his glasses he muttered a quick prayer that it wouldn't be a repeat of the mansion and they would all be safe. He walked out back to where John was he looked at Dan and the two of them walked into the kitchen to find Logan standing near the fridge with a beer, Bobby and Rogue standing in front of him and three people from the pictures staring at the group in shock,

"Dad, Mom!" Bobby said brightly "you guys are home," Mr. Drake looked at Bobby and at Logan. Dan swallowed feeling his breath coming quickly. He looked around the room, he suddenly felt claustrophobic and all he wanted to do was run out of there, go outside. But the Drake's were blocking the doorway, he wanted out of the house; he wanted to run somewhere anywhere, get somewhere where the air was fresh, where he could breath better. 

"Honey, aren't you supposed to be at school?" Mrs. Drake said

"Bobby who is this guy?" Mr. Drake said

"Professor Logan," Bobby said "uh there's something I need to tell you guys."

"I'll put some tea on," Mrs. Drake said as the rest of them shuffled into the living room. A few minutes later they had all gathered in the living room. Bobby and Rogue sat on the couch together, while the Drake's sat on another, John was sitting on what looked like a very old table flicking his lighter every now and then and getting sharp glances from Bobby's mom. 

Dan had found a spot closest to the glass sliding door far enough from the confrontation and close enough to the outside that he was able to just look outside and feel better. He had quickly stepped outside for a few minutes while Bobby began telling his parents everything. He needed the air and felt much better. Until he went back inside, things were getting tenser by the minute, making Dan want to go back outside. He didn't like the glares that Ronny, Bobby's younger brother, kept shooting his way, probably after discovering Dan was wearing his jeans, tee-shirt and hat. Logan stood in the doorway to the kitchen with another beer; he also seemed tense and kept glancing around the room keeping an eye out for trouble. 

"So uh, Bobby…when did you first know you where an um…" Mrs. Drake said obviously at a lost for words,

"A mutant?" John finished for her; 

Dan cringed as John continued to flick his lighter interrupting the silence, Dan massaged his temple he really didn't like where the conversation was heading he glanced over at Logan who looked at him.

"Could you please stop that," Mrs. Drake said to him, _this conversations going like the Titanic….and we just hit the iceberg_. Dan thought the look Mrs. Drake was giving John and the look he kept getting from Robby finally forced Dan to nod outside to Logan. He looked at the boy and nodded, sighing with relief Dan slid open the glass door and stepped outside. All was quiet out here, and it was peaceful well as peaceful as towns like Quincy being so close to Boston could be. Dan leaned over the railing and saw the plants that the Drake's had planted around the backyard. They where pretty, he saw a giant sunflower near the steps; he walked towards it and sniffed it. He grinned and looked back at the house; Logan stepped onto the back porch holding a comlink

"You ok Squirt?"

"Ya just needed some air,"

"Ok" Logan said, Dan scurried back into the house just in time to hear Mrs. Drake say

"Bobby, dearest, have you ever tried….not being a mutant." Bobby made a sigh kind of noise while John laughed; Rogue looked over at Dan who was looking down shaking his head. A tabby cat walked near him and rubbed against his legs, Dan smiled a little and reached down petting the cat's soft fur, she looked up at him and rubbed her head against his hand purring loudly and Dan grinned a little more and ignored the sudden glares he was getting from Mrs. Drake. Despite all the intelligence Dan held in his mind, the one thing he couldn't understand was why people couldn't be more like animals, this cat trusted him and wasn't afraid of him at all if the cat with all its instincts and abilities to sense danger trusted a mutant why couldn't humans? Why couldn't they understand like animals did? Dan sighed; he petted the cat once more and walked away from the door closer to John. Suddenly Logan came back in; he locked the sliding door and looked at them.

"We have to go," he said "NOW."

"What?" Mr. Drake said suddenly

"Why?" Rogue said Dan felt his heart quicken its pace again, something was wrong, something was about to happen he could feel it

"What's going on?" he asked

"Now," Logan said simply, Dan jumped as Logan extended his right hand claws

"Logan what's going on?" Dan closed his eyes and for the second time was unable to move his body was frozen in place. Bobby moved hurriedly 

"Come on Dan," he said pulling Dan's arm around his shoulders and Dan was too much in shock to protest. He looked at Bobby, whose face was locked in anger,

"Bobby?" Dan whispered

'Ronny," He fumed under his breath so soft that Dan was barely able to hear it. They followed quickly behind Logan who moved towards the front door. Two cops where already there boxing the house,

"You," one of the cops said loudly to Logan "get down on the ground,"

"What's going on here?" Logan said calmly. Dan's mouth went dry and he softly began praying in German when he caught sight of the 9mms and the shotguns aimed right at them. Dan tried to block everything out, the sound of the guns locking into place, the clicks from John's lighter, and the commands from the cops.

"Put the knives down slowly," the cop said "slowly, then down on your knees, cross your ankles, and raise your hands in the air. You kids do the same. Right now"

"Hey bub, this is just a misunderstanding." Inside came the sound of glass being broken and Mrs. Drake screaming. Bobby turned still holding onto Dan to help, and the cop shifted aim onto them. Dan's prayers became louder and the already nervous cops not being able to see that Dan had his eyes closed tightly and was praying, began to tense up a little more especially not knowing what the boy was saying, Dan knew he wasn't helping the situation, German sounded kind of terrifying especially to someone who had never heard it before, but praying was the only thing he could think to do and German was the only language that popped into his head at the time.

"Put down the goddamn blades!" the cop shouted loud

"I can't," Logan said raising his hands; suddenly a shot rang out and nailed Logan right in the head. Rogue screamed and the four of them dropped, Bobby was shielding Rogue with his own body, Dan had his head covered with his hands while Bobby kept a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't shoot, don't shoot!" Bobby shouted as loud as he could.

"Ok, kids," one of the cops said "same as before, stay cool and we'll get out of this just fine."

"We didn't do anything!" Rogue shrieked at him

"On your knees, girl!" Bobby pulled Rogue down with one hand and Dan with the other Dan winced as Bobby's hand brushed his back as he pulled him down. Dan looked up at John _what the hell is he doing? _Dan thought John had stood up and had a look on his face like he was about to do something 

"John don't be an idiot," he said softly 

"Don't be stupid, kid," the cop that had shot Logan said "this is no time to flash attitude. We don't want to hurt you!" Dan watched as John flicked his lighter again. Dan closed his eyes tightly not wanting to see what was going to happen he knew what John was about to do, hell he was surprised John hadn't done it earlier.

"You know all those dangerous mutants you hear about on the news?" he said pausing for a moment "I'm the worse one." He popped the lid on the zippo and ignited a flame.

"Aw shit John," Dan said softly his eyes open a crack and watched in horror as John toyed with the fire scaring the cops creating the scenes of a war in the Drake's front yard, he sent the cars flying with the flames setting them on fire. Everything seemed to be in slow motion, unlike Logan killing the soldiers back at the mansion. Dan couldn't stop watching this; he had tried in the beginning to use his telekinetic powers to control the fire, but all he had managed to do was get one of the cops out of the way of a spiral of flames shooting towards him. 

Dan saw Rogue pull off the glove Bobby had found for her and watched as she reached forward and grabbed John's leg with her bare hands. It worked, John hit the porch like a ton of bricks, he watched as Rogue brought the fire under control and brought it back to her, Bobby quickly pushed himself out of the way dragging John, Dan saw what was coming and dove off the porch doing a tuck and roll thing landing on his back and trying not to pass out from the pain. He heard a noise high in the sky and looked up, it was the Black Bird! 

Dan sighed with relief maybe finally this nightmare was coming to an end. Slowly Logan stood up recovering from the gunshot wound and spooking Dan a little who wasn't prepared to see Logan return from "the dead." As the Black Bird landed the sky became black, claps of thunder where heard overhead and the wind gusts picked up. The stairs dropped, Rogue, John, and Logan took off towards the stairs, Dan had slowly gotten up, but his back hurt so much that he couldn't move as fast as the others. Bobby had run over and pulled his arm over his shoulder again and stared up at his house, Dan could see the Drake's standing in Ronny's window watching as Bobby stared back, slowly he gave his family a wave and the two of them boarded the jet. 

Dan wasn't sure what he expected to see on the X-Jet, he had remembered that Jean and Storm had gone to Boston to get the mutant that attacked the president; Dan really wasn't sure what to expect the guy to be like… the blue furry guy with a prehensile tail definitely wasn't it. He jumped back a little into Bobby who did the same. The furry guy looked at them and bowed his head a little. 

"Guten tag" he said, Dan grinned wide, despite the horrific situation he had just been in; Dan was in triumphant happiness, finally someone who spoke fluent German! It was about time he had someone he could have a conversation in German with.

"Zu ihnen auch" (and to you) Dan said the guy grinned showing fangs, at first Dan jumped back a little, but was suddenly not afraid of the man, who despite his actual appearance looked only a few years older then Bobby. Jean and Storm looked back at Dan and both smiled and shook their heads. Bobby quickly found a seat behind Rogue, Logan walked over to Dan and gently pushed him into a seat next to the German guy 

"Sit Squirt," he said "stay," Dan grinned sheepishly and put the harness on. 

"My name is Kurt Vagner," 

"Dan Thomas," Dan said sticking his hand out Kurt shook hands with the boy timidly and Dan saw why, he had only three fingers though this guy wasn't somebody Dan would want to meet in a dark alley at midnight without knowing who it was, once you got past the demon likeness to him, Kurt was someone who Dan could relate to as a friend. Even more so when Dan saw the rosary bead and cross in Kurt's other hand.

"Vas is vith the glasses?" Kurt asked, 

"My eyes er emit a kinda energy blast, these keep it contained."

"Are you one of the students at der school?" he asked Dan nodded

"Ja,"

"Vhere did you learn to speak German so vell?" Dan looked at his hands for a moment.

"Ya know computer scanners?" Kurt nodded "I can download anything that a computer or anything with a computer chip in it has on its memory into my own." Kurt nodded

"Interesting," Kurt said "so that's how you know German so vell,"

"Not just German, you name it I can probably speak it." Kurt grinned

"A regular Einstein," he said Dan looked at Kurt and grinned 

"Ya, Einstein."

"How old are you?"

"12" Dan looked at Kurt "you?"

"19," (A/N: On the DVD for X2,  in the extended scenes, Mystique accesses Nightcrawler's file, his birthday is given as May 22 1984, which by the movie date would make Kurt 19.) 

Dan was so engrossed in his conversation with Kurt, that he didn't notice the trouble happening up front. Until he heard the radio, say

"Unidentified aircraft, this is Air force two-one-zero on guard. You  are ordered to descend to twenty-thousand feet and return with our escort to Hansom Air Force Base. Failure to comply at once will result in the use of extreme force. Do you acknowledge?" 

"Somebody's angry." Storm said

"I wonder why," Logan said looking at John. Dan glanced over at him too, being threatened by Boston police was one thing, and getting threatened by the United States Air Force was a different matter all together, if they got out of this alive he was going to kill John. Dan closed his eyes and gripped his seat, he didn't like where this all was going. Next to him Kurt began praying in German, while John, Bobby, and Rogue asked what was going on. Dan remained quiet, until he heard Storm yell

"We're marked! Their going to fire! Seatbelts!" Now Dan's mind took over, his fists clenched tight and he did the only thing he could think to do. His prayers in English matched Kurt's, his voice steady and calm with only a trace of fear in it.

"Our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thine will be done as earth as it is in heaven-" Dan stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, he glanced up and looked. Kurt smiled at him, Dan gave a kind of half smile back, Kurt was a lot like Peter, maybe that's what he liked him; he had a brotherly thing about him that reminded him of Peter. 

Suddenly the jet gave a jolt, Kurt held onto his seat with his hands, feet, and tail. Dan wrapped his small arms around the harness and brought his feet up to his chest, making himself, almost disappear into the seat. Glancing up a little, Dan saw gigantic tornados through the window up front. He yelped as the jet gave another lurch and buried himself deeper in the seat. Hearing John getting sick a few seats up was making Dan's stomach queasy. He didn't get motion sick, but Dan wasn't a big fan of flying. He preferred keeping both feet on the ground it wasn't the height it was being enclosed in a box thousands of miles in the air with the thought that any second the ground could come a lot closer very quickly. Dan closed his eyes again and allowed his mind to drift, it drifted back to the mansion when he had first arrived, and had been first introduced to Rahne and Peter.

A beeping noise brought Dan's mind back he knew that noise, that was the Blackbirds warning system, they where locked with a missile! That was the only explanation, the answer soon came as the jet gave a humongous jolt and a loud explosion followed. Dan could feel the pressure in the cabin dropping and had to put his hands to his glasses to make sure they stayed on. He glanced up quickly and saw small holes in the roof soon giving away to one large hole and Rogue soaring through it,

"Rogue!" Bobby, Kurt reacted quickly in one quick moment with the sound of a _bamf_ and the stink of sulfur he was gone. Dan stared at the spot his new friend had been, Kurt was a teleporter! 

"Please let him get her, please, please" Dan prayed softly under his breath, suddenly as quickly as he had disappeared, Kurt reappeared with Rogue! He held her tight in his arms on the floor of the cabin. Dan was happy she was safe, but was realizing the trouble they where in, the jet was losing altitudes quickly. Closing his eyes for a second, he tried to break into the jets computer system, maybe he could bring her back to power. It would take all he had but he had to try. Jean looked back and saw Dan with his hand stretched towards the cockpit she knew what he was trying, but also knew that it wasn't going to work. The determination on the boys face was heartbreaking especially knowing that it was hopeless; suddenly the sound of metal constructing made them all look up. The hull was repairing itself; the wind that had been screeching through the jet soon lessened to a whisper then was gone. The jet lurched and those still in their harness flew forward only to be stopped by the restraints. Through the cockpit window, Dan could see a man and a woman standing there inches from the nose of the jet. The man was dressed in a long cape and held a weird looking helmet under his arm. The woman was the real shocker; she was totally blue and scaly Dan's eyes went wide staring at the pair of them. What the hell was this all about? And who where these guys

                        *******************

Wooooow long chappie huh? Now you see why I was in writers block…I couldn't end the thing….Anyways hope you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a review on your way out it will be very much appreciated no flames though their not appreciated, constructive criticism is always welcome!….Thank you and have a nice day, *bows*

Sharpsnout


	10. Let's go Camping!

Disclaimer: I own Dan and his computer power, everything else belongs to Marvel, Stan Lee, and the X-men Universe…Some of the quotes, ideas, and descriptions are from the X2 novel by Chris Claremont.

Woah…the last time I updated this was back in 04! January of 04 to boot…I am so sorry, it wasn't that I lost interest in this fic, it was the fact that other fics began creeping into my mind and this one was put on the backburner. But then last week the FX channel started showing X2 in celebration of the release of X3, and I found myself wanting to continue and finish this fic, so I watched the first two X-men movies through (without commercial interruption thanks to watching my own copies of the movies) and retrieved my X2 book and was ready to write!

So I hope you all enjoy this new chapter…the next one will be up shortly because it's almost done, just needs some tweaking, and I hope everyone can forgive me for not updating this in almost two years…esh…

Review thanks at the end!

* * *

A few hours later found Dan sitting alone in the Black Bird, Jean had asked him to help do what he could to repair the jet and he had been eagerly happy to help, not because he could and had always loved working on the jet, but sitting in there gave him some time to piece together the hell of a 24 hours he had faced, plus he needed to be alone, alone with his thoughts at least. 

The jet was in bad shape, even with his power it would take a few hours at least…but…Dan looked outside, he could see a crackling fire and all the adults around it talking…it could be worse, he could be barred from the jet without "adult supervision" at least Jean and Storm trusted him enough to stay with the jet alone expecting that he would only pinpoint the exact problems, but would wait for them to do any repairs.

At the moment he was still kinda pissed at John and was currently not speaking to him, mainly for the charade in Boston, which nearly got them killed by the Air Force in mid-flight, and if Kurt hadn't been there…Dan shook his head quickly not wanting to think "what if".

So he was avoiding contact with John…and Rogue and Bobby, 'cause they were all camped out together while the adults had their little conference, and hanging out with Bobby and Rogue would mean John as well, so he was better off sitting alone in the jet, where he wouldn't say or do something that he would regret.

Especially after the whole incident with the hike, once they had gotten settled so to speak in their campsite, the three older teens decided that they wanted to go hiking. He hadn't wanted to go 'exploring' with them, mainly because he knew it was just a bad idea and a good chance of them getting lost, but Bobby insisted that the fresh air would do him good, Dan had no problem with fresh air and he loved the smell of the forest, and enjoyed being in untouched nature, like when he had gone to the state park with Scott, the wilderness was his sanctuary, like ice and snow was presumably Bobby's and an active volcano was John's. But he was not in the mood at the moment, this was only fueled more so when they dragged him along, and promptly got lost, despite Dan's constant warnings that they were getting too far from the campsite. Logan luckily found them and after warning them that next time he would just leave them lost, had led them back to camp. When they got back, was when Jean had approached him asking for help with the jet.

But it wasn't just John that Dan was avoiding, he was avoiding the blue lady…Mystique the Storm and Jean had called her, and the guy, Magneto. He was getting bad vibes from both of them and especially didn't like the way both of them would share a glance, look at him, and smile mysteriously; like they knew him or something…he didn't like it. And since Mystique was playing director in setting up camp, that was all the more reason to avoid the rest of the group.

Besides, after Bobby finally got a fire going, with little help from John, and after dinner, the adults had taken control of the larger fire circle and were talking, while Bobby, Rogue, John, and Kurt were out of earshot around a smaller one. Leaving Dan alone in the Blackbird, totally focused on his "job"

When he was using his computer power, there was no room for other thoughts, Dan's mind was totally focused on the task, granted the solitude with his thoughts was great, but even he needed to break from them.

Sighing a little, he once again turned his attention to the main switchboard of the jet, physically the jet was fine, Magneto had just used his powers to repair the shell of the jet, but internally it would take a lot of power and energy on Dan's part to get the Black Bird to lift off the ground, let alone fly like it once did, and Dan knew it wasn't bragging, he was the only one capable of doing this, even Jean's telekinetic powers couldn't help in this kind of situation, this was a technical operation that relied on specifics, normal telepathy or telekinetic powers, which like Jean, Dan had as well, weren't the answer, the wiring in the computer were too complex for that, but his computer power was perfect.

Closing his eyes and emptying his mind, Dan placed his hands on the main computer and allowed his mind to begin the process of repairing everything internally; reconnecting wires, reprogramming damaged chips, and most importantly of all redistributing and cleaning up the completely fried hardware.

When he entered this computer world, as he called it, Dan couldn't relate to the physical world at all, he was totally oblivious to everything going on around him, though the amount of time the process took all depended on the item he was repairing, the larger the project or the more complex it was, the longer it obviously took, and the more mental strain it put on Dan.

Xavier had told him once and expected to only have to tell the boy once, that he was not to use the repairing portion of his computer power alone, especially on complex items; he was to have someone at least in the general vicinity.

The process was physically and mentally exhausting and since Dan had no notion of time when he was working, he could easily work himself to the point where he would pass out, and be totally unaware that anything was wrong, and Xavier feared this could possibly throw the boy into total comatose like state and injury himself permanently.

Though Dan had sworn to Xavier that he wouldn't ever use his computer power to repair something alone, he figured this was definitely an exception to that rule, Jean was busy and he didn't want to bug anyone to "watch him" like he was a little kid in need of babysitting. Besides, he knew how much power it would take for each part of the repair, he would just have to try and time it and work everything in distinct shifts.

However, he only got through reconnecting some of the wires; he was tired from the night before and was having trouble concentrating on his task, even more so when Jean returned from the meeting, spooking him.

"How's it going?" her soft voice called to him, Dan jumped a good two feet in the air, before leaning against the pilot seat grasping his chest. "Dan easy it's just me," Jean said quickly coming up to the boy holding his shoulders as he tried to calm his breathing down, "easy….it's ok…easy," finally Dan took a deep breath and looked at Jean

"Sorry…you….I…" Jean smiled and rubbed his shoulders gently, he slumped into the chair still trying to calm his breathing, now his whole body was shaking, his heart felt like it was going to beat right out of his chest…which felt like a knife was being stabbed into it…what was wrong with him? Why was he freakin' out so bad, it was just Jean, nothing to be scared of; yet he was…he was terrified and couldn't understand why. "Dr. Grey…I'm…I'm sorry…I don't know…"

"Dan it's all right you have nothing to be sorry about, I was wondering when you were going to breakdown,"

"Huh?"

"After everything you went through since yesterday morning? It's perfectly understandable."

"So I'm not sick?"

"No, you're just scared and worried, your stressing yourself out and this is just the way your body reacts to that." He nodded and looked away from her for a second,

"Dr. Grey, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course,"

"Is that guy with the helmet…Magneto…is he...well…" Dan wasn't sure how to grasp the right words, Jean knelt on the floor next to him so she was eyelevel with the boy, her arm still hugging his thin shoulders. "Is he the bad guy?" She sighed, thinking that over for a moment or two, before looking at Dan, as if she could see past his ruby quartz glasses right to where his eyes, once a bright blue, now looked back with a fiery red.

"Magneto and the Professor were once friends, good friends, they built Cerebro together. But they both have different views on how mutants and humans should exist together. While the Professor believes that we can all co-exist, Magneto believes that-"

"Mutants are the superior species and should rule?" Jean nodded

"Exactly, he believes that there is no way for us to co-exist with humans and that it's our right to dominate."

"So…is he the bad guy?"

"It depends on how you look at it,"

"Was he the guy…that caused the incident in New York last year…with the Statue of Liberty?" Now Jean looked at Dan in awe, not sure how he knew about that, because she doubted Rogue had told him, she knew he had been living in New York City when the professor had found him, but it didn't seem like information a group of kids living in a 'so-called foster home' as Dan had always put it, in reality a group home; would be allowed to learn about, especially since Dan had only been eleven when that whole thing had occurred. "We weren't allowed to watch the news…at the home, especially when the news concerned mutants, I think the workers were afraid that if we learned about mutants, we might all become one, then they'd lose all the states money…but I didn't need to watch it…I just kinda listened through the door, I heard the news talkin' 'bout a terrorist plot that had been…foiled and that it was a mutant that was the cause of it…was that Magneto?" Jean nodded

"Yes, that was Magneto,"

"So in a way…he IS the bad guy, but in another way…he's not…" Dan signed and scratched the back of his head "aw man this is complicated; none of it makes sense…"

"Even for a genius?" Jean asked with a smile, which Dan returned,

"Aw come on Dr. Grey…I'm not a genius…" he said seriously

"Dan your IQ test was off the charts,"

"That's not 'cause I'm smart naturally, I've got a power that allows me to know everything a computer knows…that's a lot of information…we're talkin' unlimited knowledge, that doesn't make someone a genius, that makes me a fre… a mutant." Jean shook her head,

"How many times have you been told that the word freak isn't…"

"I know… I know…it's not appropriate nor is it permissible, especially in the school setting." Now Jean smiled, because he sounded exactly like Professor Xavier and knew that was the same speech that Xavier had given Dan when he had first arrived at the school, and it was probably the same speech that Xavier gave Dan when him and Scott had first met the boy.

Dan grinned at Jean, knowing exactly what she was thinking even without telepathy,

"So did you memorize that statement from the Professor or are you finally starting to believe it yourself?" she asked.

Dan's grin widened, he was about to answer her when a noise outside the jet caught his attention, Jean followed his gaze towards the hatch; she gave his shoulder a squeeze and walked over to it. Quietly, Dan followed her and knelt down near the entrance listening what was going on outside, just to make sure Jean was ok.

"So how we doing?" he heard Logan ask,

"Still a lot of work, poor Dan's been in there for a few hours now, he's putting all his power into it, but it'll still take a few hours to get it off the ground."

"That wasn't what I-" Logan stopped and Dan heard the familiar sniffing, _uh oh_ he thought "I think you've got a bodyguard..." he said.

"Dan…" Jean said softly, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Quickly Dan darted back to the front of the jet, as Jean began to laugh, that being the last thing he heard as he started to focus on repairing the jet.

* * *

Bawhaha so that was chapter 10…and I can honestly say Finally…Next chapter up this week I promise, and hopefully this will be one of the fics I can manage to complete. 

So I have one review thanks…and here it is!

**Supernatural** **Chick**: I really appreciate you checkin' out my other fics, like I said in the beginning, I didn't lose interest in this, I just got distracted then had trouble with the next chapter…but it all came to together…I wasn't really to impressed with X3, but I guess I should be thankful, if it hadn't come out, I wouldn't have gotten in the mood to watch X2 and this might not have gotten worked on again. Dan is one of my favorites of my characters (but don't tell the other ones I said that lol) partly because he is so smart and because he has no problem being a smart ass, and him not knowing about his past is really allowing me to go to town with ideas.

As for adding him into the storyline I really enjoy doing that, but some of it I didn't do, the novel just left that option open for me to play. Take the previous chapter I wrote, in the actual book when Bobby's brother goes to his room, he discovers the TV on, tuned to a channel he never watches, and a bloody tee-shirt on his floor. Creepy huh? I thought so when I first read that and knew I could work with it.

Anyways, thanks again for checking out this fic and I hope to keep hearin' from you, the evolution version hopefully will be updated this week as well along with the Immortal Child, both of those were giving me trouble, but I think I've gotten a handle on them. So till then! Bye!

Ok so that was…the only person...heh a well…Again I apoligise for the long no update and I hope that you can all forgive me and bear with me. Remember Reviews are always welcome, but I will feed all flames to the grizzly bears!

(bows)

Sharpsnout


	11. Dreams and nightmares

Disclaimer: same as always.

See told you I'd have chapter 11 up within the week, man am I proud of myself…I had a lot of papers due this week for my classes and any writing I was able to get done was worthwhile…Anyways…review thanks at the end! Enjoy!

* * *

Storm joined them not long after Logan left; all three of them working on the system long into the night. With Jean's supervision, Dan had a good portion of the jet's complicated computer system nearly repaired without an incident.

Around midnight, however, Dan was getting tired and was showing it. After all he hadn't really gotten much sleep in the past twenty-four hours and after using all the power he had to repair the jet; he was emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausted. Jean and Storm saw this quickly and both decided that it was time for Dan to call it quits, he had done everything that he could do; the rest of the repairs were strictly mechanical.

At first, Dan protested being sent to bed, but he was to tired to argue and eventually gave into Storm guiding him out of the jet towards the tents that had been set up earlier. Kurt was in a tree above the site, hanging like a bat watching over the group,

John sat behind the fire, still flicking the zippo. He looked at Dan as Storm guided him towards an extra tent that someone had taken thought to set up for him, John didn't say anything to Dan and vice versa and minus a quick angry head shake from Dan, the only reaction from John for that was a pause in his clicking for about two seconds, though he was still pissed at him…Dan had a feeling it was John who had taken thought to set up the small pup tent for him, he'd thank him in the morning, even maybe consider forgiving him for everything…maybe.

By the time they had walked the short distance from the jet to the camp, Dan was so tired that he was relying solely on Storm to support him, preventing him from tripping on exposed roots and loose bits of earth.

With grace and acrobatic ability, Kurt dropped from the tree and landed in front of them, causing Dan to jump slightly.

"Kurt could you help him to his tent, he's overtired." Storm said barley above a whisper, Kurt nodded "Dan where is your visor?"

"Poc…pocket," he stuttered, she nodded and reached into his jean pocket and extracted the visor,

"Eyes shut?" he nodded closing his eyes tight, he felt her slip his glasses off and felt the cool night air on his full face, he longed to open his eyes and let the cool woodsy air get into them, but knew he couldn't, and he couldn't help, but feel angry about that…maybe it wasn't anger…more like total jealousy of all the others in the group, then again, he was really to tired to tell the difference or really care for that matter. He felt his visor against his face and felt her clip it behind his head. "All set,"

"Than… Ms. Munroe," he said

"You did a good job tonight Dan, thank you for all your help, we couldn't have done it without you" she said hugging him and kissing the top of his head. "Thank you too Kurt,"

Kurt nodded again and pulled Dan's arm over his shoulder helping him to the tent, that being the last part of the night that the boy remembered, as sleep overtook him and he entered what started out as a completely dreamless slumber, and led not to a nightmare as he would have predicted, but rather a negative memory that was followed by a very positive one, that had been triggered with the meeting of two people who would change his life and the entrance to a brand new life…

(Dream)

"Come on freak…you want your wittle book? Hey what's the matter to stupid to fight back? Or just to scared" Dan clenched his fists tight desperately trying not to lash out at the other boy. Though he was older then this kid, by at least a year, Greg was one of the biggest kids around and the meanest, and Dan was technically the 'new kid' which meant he was a prime target for the other kids.

After being kicked out of his fifth foster home in only two months, Dan's caseworker Kathy, had dumped him at a group home…ok so dumped was a harsh word… it just temporarily she insisted until she could locate another family. After Sandy, she was one of the few adults in his life that Dan actually got along with and trusted for that matter, she just wanted him to have a solid home and be happy. When he had heard that before, what felt like hundreds of times in his life, Dan knew that it was just total sarcasm, but from Kathy it was total honesty.

She had been his caseworker since he was nine, it had been her who had truly believed that him and Sandy were perfect for one another and had been just as distraught when everything with her happened. He had only one complaint about her, she like the rest of the adults in his life…claimed they couldn't tell him about his past, about why he had no memory before he was nine. It was either they really didn't know or were just keeping that information from him.

A group home had been her only option at that particular time; most foster parents weren't up to taking on an adolescent and usually asked for younger kids finding one that would take him was going to take time. It was the same old story and Dan was all to use to it. He had been in a few group homes like this, but never as long as he had been in this one, almost a week and the bullying was getting worse each day and he wasn't sure how much longer he could take it, before he finally had enough and hopped the fence, something that he had no problem doing.

His small size, quiet mannerism, and desire for constant seclusion from his peers, were only three of the reasons he was a target. Dan was convinced that Greg had a sixth sense that detected mutants and that was the fourth reason for his bullying.

Though on an honest thought, Dan didn't really consider himself a mutant, he just chose to ignore the fact that he could move things with his mind and could fix, scan, even destroy mechanical devices, like the computer in the main office of the group home, a thought that always brought a grin to his face. Even if he did admit that he was a mutant, he would never voice that allowed.

In it's own pathetic way, the state of New York was taking care of him, he would be on his own if he was exposed as a mutant then who knows what would happen. That was all the more reason, to keep his temper at bay and not react to Greg's teasing.

"Just give it back Greg," he said softly

"Not until you beg,"

"I'm not going to beg for my own book,"

"Kiss the pavement freak or kiss your book goodbye." Two of Greg's buddies came up behind Dan and pushed him down to his knees, he wasn't strong enough to fight them off and quickly found himself kneeling in front of Greg. One of the kids had his knee on Dan's back and was jabbing it right into his spine, it was all Dan could do not to cry out in pain as the guy's knee located a pressure point and while he kept his knee firmly in the small of Dan's back, the other kid held Dan's arms preventing him from struggling, he was total restrained by them and unable to move.

"Get the hell off of me!" he managed to gasp out between breaths. He looked up at Greg who was swinging his book back and forth, if he could move his arms, Dan could easily have reached up and grabbed the book…but he couldn't…at least not with his hands, but he could with his mind.

Suddenly the book flew out of Greg's hand, landing a few feet from the group. Obliviously not wanting to look like a butterfingers in front of his pals, Greg scoffed at them like he had meant to do that and after pushing Dan's head down so hard that it connected with the pavement, they left him flat on the ground and headed off to pick on someone else.

Slowly, Dan sat up rubbing his head, there was a little bit of blood on the pavement and he groaned at finding even more on his hand. A nasty taste filled his mouth and when he spit it out, a good amount of blood hit the ground as well along with what he hoped was a baby tooth, one of only a few ones left. He grimaced and weakly tried to catch his breath,

"That was a very impressive use of control," Dan looked up, for a spilt second expecting Greg to be back.

Instead, it was a bald guy in a wheelchair and standing right in front of him with his hand out, a younger guy with red lenses glasses. The guy with the glasses gave Dan a half kind of smile, at first he was suspicious, but this only lasted a second or two…before he took the guy's offer and allowed himself to be pulled up to his feet.

"Thanks," Dan said softly to the glasses guy, before looking at the one in the wheelchair.

"Dan Thomas I presume?" he asked the boy, folding his hands under his chin, looking at Dan expectantly

"Depends on whose askin'," Dan retorted, he walked over to where his book had landed and picked it up, dusting it off, before turning back to them "and why…" the man gave a knowing smile,

"Dan, my name is Professor Charles Xavier," Dan nodded slowly, very confused as to why this Xavier guy was even talking to him. "I'm the founder of a school in Westchester county, a school for the gifted." It was all Dan could do to not laugh, struggling to suppress the snicker that managed to escape him. "This is Scott Summers, one of the instructors at the school, a mentor if you will."

"If you run a school for the gifted, then why are you here?" he asked as serious as possible, "and more importantly, why are you talkin' to me 'bout it? Do I seriously look gifted too you?" he paused and rubbed the cut on his forehead, wincing from the sting. "Look man, if I don't go get cleaned up? I'll get reported for fightin' we're talkin' a group homes equivalent to a prisons solitary confinement. And as much as I like bein' alone? That would mean missin' dinner, something I'm not planning on doing. So you're better off sellin' your school offer to someone who deserves it," he finished and started to walk off, _Is_ _that truly how you feel? You feel that you are not gifted?_ Dan turned to Xavier and stared at him…he was hearing the guy's voice, but it was inside his head. "What the heck?!" he exclaimed rubbing his temple "how're doing that man?"

"It's called Telepathy, though I'm very sure you are aware of it." Xavier answered, "as it is an ability I believe you are gifted with, along with telekinetic abilities, and a computer ability I trust." Dan went pale and stared at Xavier "am I correct?"

"If your telepathic then you already know that." He said softly

"Dan, I am offering you the chance to learn to not only harness your gifts, but enter a place where you will always be accepted and have a place to call home." Xavier smiled again "understand?"

"I'm confused 'bout one thing,"

"Yes?"

"Your school…you said it's for the gifted…"

"Yes?"

"Is that a play on words or just to keep it secrete whose really goin' to school there?" Xavier looked at the guy with the glasses

"It's complete honesty Dan, only those who are gifted are in attendance," he smiled "we just leave out the detail that those gifted individuals are mutants," Xavier paused, so what do you say son?" Dan looked out at the yard, right across it, where Greg was beating up another kid, while his two buds held the kid. Then he looked not far from them, two of the employees, stood there completely oblivious to the beating that was occurring no more then five feet from them.

"What if my caseworker comes lookin' for me?"

"I believe the necessary people have been informed that you are being offered admission to Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, in all probability you pass the entrance exam."

"There's an entrance exam?" Dan exclaimed

"Of course, it is after all an Ivy League prep school." Xavier smiled "we don't accept just anyone." Slowly, a grin crept across Dan's face

"So what do you say kid?" Scott asked

"I say, bring on the exam, I can take your best questions." He said,

"Wonderful, Mr. Thomas I have no doubt that you will pass with flying colors."

* * *

"Dan, I know you're a smart kid, but are you sure you want to go to boarding school for the gifted?" Dan looked at Kathy, "it'll be full of snobs," she finished with a grin, "your words I believe not mine," he nodded

"I know, but it'll be cool, I can show up the richie kids, show 'em that a kid from the wrong side of the tracts can outsmart 'em in both street smarts and book smarts." Kathy's grin went to a sad smile as she hugged him tight,

"If you need anything, you call my cell, day or night," Dan nodded as she handed him her card, not that he needed it, he had her number memorized in his photographic like memory, but he knew it made her feel better knowing that he had the card with the number on it.

"So when this whole thing is up…am I gonna end back up in the system?" he asked seriously, that thought had been bugging him since the entrance exam the day before.

"Actually Dan, Professor Xavier will be your legal guardian while your at the school," Dan thought this over for a moment, it wasn't like he had another place to go, so if this guy was willing to become his guardian, then all the power to him. "But I'm still going to do spot checks," she paused "random spot checks, just to check in on you, make sure you haven't caused a riot amongst the students."

"Me?" Dan exclaimed pointing to himself as innocently as possible "me cause a riot at a school? I would never." Kathy hugged him again and took his hand, walking him down the steps of the group home towards the Rolls-Royce parked out front. Scott walked over to him and giving him a grin took his suitcase from Kathy's hand and put it in the trunk. Xavier approached them and looked up at Kathy.

"I promise you Ms. Mitchell Dan is in good hands, he will do very well with us." She nodded and after one last hug, pushed him gently towards the car. Looking back at her, Dan climbed into the backseat and looked around the car as Scott shut the door.

Luckily the front window was open a crack and he could hear everything that was being said, but the strange thing was, that Dan didn't remember any of this, he was hearing all of this for the first time and but he realized, that in the excitement and nervousness of that specific day, leaving the group home and entering the school…he had pushed this one part to the back of his memory, he had probably been listening subconsciously and hadn't realized it.

"I hope you understand Professor Xavier what he has been through, this school of yours is a chance that not many kids in his position are given, but that doesn't mean he's totally ready for it. Dan has been through more foster families in three years then most who are in the system their entire lives go through. He's been tossed around and dumped on for three years and-"

"Yes I know…he has no recollection of his life before he was found wandering the streets at age nine since which as you said he has been in multiple foster homes, including one that was very nearly permanent until an incident occurred to result his being removed from the woman's care and placed right back into the system." Xavier said softly "but I can help him leave all that, as you said, the school is a chance that not many are given, Dan is an extraordinary young man, talented and yes incredibly gifted, and I promise that he will not only do well in school, but in life as well, he has a bright future and just needs guidance, something that I am afraid he is not going to receive as a ward of the state, which in all beliefs he should not have become in the first place.

"Excuse me?"

"If I may ask, when Dan was found, did he say that was his name or was it given to him?" Kathy didn't answer for a second "Ms. Mitchell?"

"Sorry, I was thinking, when the police found him wandering down Canal Street, he was completely out of it and half starved, like he hadn't eaten in days. I met him at the hospital, where the doctors were treating him for some minor burns, he couldn't tell anyone where he had gotten them, where he was from, or who his parents were, the only thing we got from him was that his name was Dan Thomas. His name was run through the missing children databank, but there were no hits, we couldn't even find a birth certificate or anything with that name on it that fit his age. We knew it wasn't his real name, but it was the only name he would give us, and it just kind of stuck." Kathy paused "do you know something Professor Xavier? I mean how did you even know Dan was here?"

"All in good time Ms. Mitchell, all in good time." Xavier said "I trust you will be checking in on Dan shortly?" Kathy nodded

"It's required by the state."

"Perfectly understandable, but it is time for us to be going, traffic tends to be quite hectic and I would like Dan to have plenty of time to settle in as he starts classes tomorrow." Kathy nodded again, she walked up to the window and he rolled it down to look at her

"Remember what I said honey, if you need anything call me ok?" Dan nodded a thank you to Kathy, before Scott put the car into drive, and they headed off...

** (end dream)

* * *

**

Dan had kind of hoped that the dream would continue, but that was impossible, because he was awoken suddenly by the sound of Wolverine knocking on his tent, yelling

"Rise and shine Squirt, you've got 30 seconds to get out of there before I pack it up with you in it." with that threat on his mind, Dan was up and out of the tent in less then 10 seconds, partly because he was wide awake now…and partly…because he didn't doubt Logan's threat in the least.

* * *

Ok I really wanted to go on with the dream and actually I wanted to make it a flash back, you know go into Dan's arrival at the school and meeting Peter…and everything, but it was getting rather long and figured better cut it. So there might be a flashback of something like that in the near future chapters, but for now I hope you all enjoyed that chapter, next one will be up either tomorrow night or Friday, because it's all written and set to go.

So one review thanks to be handing out!

**Supernatural** **Chick**: Thanks for your review I really appreciate it, I hope you enjoy the update, like I said last chapter, I'm gonna try like mad to get the new chapter of the Immortal Child up and hopefully Einstein as well, both of them are giving me trouble, but hopefully my Muse will stop being fascinated with the new X-men movie soon and actually help me write…Lol…Anyways thanks again! Till next time!

Thanks for reading everyone, hope to hear from you people! Reviews welcome, but flames will be put in a cannon and blasted to oblivion.

(Bows)

Sharpsnout


	12. Hook, line, and sinker

Disclaimer: gonna stop putting this in…honestly I think you guys know who I own and who/what I don't by now. But just to reillustrate some of the quotes are taken directly from the X2 novel...

So yeah I promised that I would have this thing bloody updated within a week of the last chapter…I'm so sorry…things got really hectic with tons of papers for classes and friends making me be un antisocial, and…ok honestly I was totally distracted by the new movies I got for my birthday, one of which included X3 so there you go…This chapter was all set to go…just didn't get 'round to posting it. But now I have so enjoy!

Ps. Sorry this one's kinda short…I wanted to end the chapter where I did so it gave it more feeling. I hope it worked!

"Hook line and Sinker"

* * *

Dan had held his breath as the jet shuddered, before taking off, nearly good as new, and when Jean and Storm looked back at him with grateful smiles, he couldn't help, but return the grin, his ears glowing red with both embarrassment and pride. Even more so when in passing, Logan gave a nod, and the boy sensed that was his own way of acknowledging Dan's help with the whole thing.

Because he was the smallest, Dan took up residence in one of the small bucket seats; unfortunately, not far from where Magneto and Mystique were seated. The looks from the previous night had not stopped, and now added to the small smiles between the two, now they were whispering to one another laughing quietly to themselves.

Remembering what Peter had told him about ignoring Jamie's taunts, he just applied it here, ignoring the two adults by focusing totally on the interior of the jet, taking in each physical detail.

The ignoring only lasted a little while however. Not long into the flight, Bobby and Rogue asked where their uniforms were. Dan had perked up at this question, because he was equally curious, he had wanted to be apart of the X-men since Xavier and Scott had talked to him at the group home. If Rogue, Bobby, and John were going to be allowed to have uniforms signifying their initiation into the X-men, then there was no reason to exclude him from that, he may be smaller and younger then the other three, but he had just as much right as them to become an X-man, after all, hadn't he shown that he was good enough by fixing the Jet?

However, their idea of glory with the team was shot down when Logan informed them sarcastically that their uniforms were on order and would arrive in a few years. Though the older three teens were disappointed by that, Dan actually found Logan's answer amusing and was desperately trying not to laugh, at least he was at first, until Magneto finally acknowledged the teens, when Rogue walked by them.

"Rogue," Magneto said with a smile, Dan's ears perked up and he looked over watching curiously. "We love what you've done with your hair," Dan watched as Rogue walked towards Magneto and Mystique, pulling her glove off, Bobby came up behind her and pulled her back, walking her away from them. Magneto seemed totally un-phased by Rogue's action; if anything he seemed amused by it. Bobby led Rogue back to their seat, they walked past Dan and as they did, Bobby gave him a half kind of smile and ruffled his hair quickly.

After they passed, Dan turned his attention back to Magneto, John was looking at the old man, there was a long silence and for a few seconds, Dan thought the flight would go back to dead silence, at least he thought so until he heard John try to instigate a conversation with Magneto,

"They say you're the bad guy,"

"Is that what they say?" Magneto replied, his tone obviously unimpressed by John's boldness. A few seconds went by, before he went at it again

"That's a dorky looking helmet," he said "what's it for?" Now Magneto's interests seemed to perk up,

"This dorky looking helmet is the only thing that is going to protect me from the real bad guys." He answered, quickly he flicked his fingers and John's lighter flew from his hands, catching John (and Dan) by surprise. "What's your name?" he asked igniting the lighter

"John,"

"What's your real name John?"

"Pyro," he answered using his power to grab the flame from the lighter, allowing it to dance around in his hand.

"That's quite a talent you have there Pyro," Dan could see it on John's face, a look of pride when Magneto said his codename, _hook line and sinker_, Dan thought with a slight grin,

"I can only manipulate the fire," John said "I cant make it," he finished, closing his fist so the flame disappeared. Magneto nodded,

"You are a god among insects, don't let anyone tell you different." He said, holding his hand out to return the lighter to John. Dan shook his head and silently groaned, John was already bigheaded enough, telling him that he was a god among insects? That just made it worse, he'd never let that go nor would he ever let it be forgotten.

There was another moment of silence and Dan was paying attention to Jean and Storm, when he felt someone staring at him, he turned and looked in the direction of the stares though it wasn't much of a guessing game, it was Magneto and Mystique. He really wanted to keep trying to ignore them, but it was getting harder,

"Come on," he said under his breath "just ask me already," as if reading his thoughts like Xavier, the older man finally spoke to him

"And what about you? Aren't you the little Mr. Fixit, repairing the computer system of such a complicated jet all by your self? That must have taken quite an impressive amount of skills… What's your name?" totally expecting this, Dan had no problem giving the old man a hard time.

"Dan," Magneto seemed to sigh with a hint of frustration,

"Are you quite sure about that?" Dan felt his body tense up,

"I think I'd know my own name,"

"Really?" there was a pause "what else do they call you?" Dan didn't answer for a moment as he took a deep breath trying to calm himself down.

"Einstein," Magneto exchanged a look with Mystique

"Einstein?" he repeated "well now isn't that interesting," the old man waved his hand, at first Dan expected that he was going after his glasses and along with making sure his eyes were tightly shut, he held onto the glasses knowing that he wouldn't be able to hold onto them if Magneto tried to grab them, but instead, Dan felt his night visor shake in his pocket and slowly fly out and float in front of him, he opened one eye then the other staring at his visor as it floated midair for a moment, before it flew over to Magneto who caught it with ease.

"You could've just asked," unlike John, Dan wasn't in awe over Magneto, sure his powers were cool and all, but that didn't change the fact that he was a mutant, just like Dan, just like John, just like all of them, he may be making himself out to seem better then them, but he was in the same boat as every other mutant. "I could've shown 'em to ya,"

"So Einstein, optic blasts as well?" Magneto looked the visor over, "there seems to be an accessory missing from your visor,"

"Well, considering that visors only purpose is to make sure if I wake up in the middle of the night, I don't give the mansion a new skylight, they really don't need to be high-tech." Magneto seemed amused by that, but Dan didn't know why, it hadn't seemed that funny to him and he hadn't meant it to be.

"So then where perhaps are the release studs that occupancy the visor?" Dan didn't say anything for a minute or two, instead he simply shrugged. "or perhaps you are withholding the other pair from me?" now Dan shook his head looking at his feet

"No…just the nightvisor and my glasses," he replied, not looking at the two adults across from him, even though he could feel them looking at him, as a third gaze joined, he knew John was intently watching as well.

Magneto and Mystique exchanged an amused look, before Magneto levitated the visor back to Dan who quickly grabbed it and stuffed it in his pocket.

Thanks," he muttered, Magneto leaned forward so only him, Dan, and Mystique could hear him speak, Dan was just waiting for the same speech he had given John.

"You're being held back Leonardo, my dear friend Charles is holding you back, not just with your optic blasts, but with that impressive computer power you pride yourself in possessing. He believes you to young to understand it's potential and to young to know the supremacy you can hold over all, I however think you know exactly what it's capable of and have no objection to using it for the very purpose you were given it, at least deep down."

Dan stared at Magneto in shock, not just because the old man had called him a name that he had only heard in his dreams, but because Magneto had voiced a deep dark thought that Dan had kept to himself and usually found himself ashamed of thinking it, a thought that usually only entered his mind when he was mad at the treatment mutants faced at the hands of humans; the fact that he could use his intelligence and power itself to dominant. His power was something to be feared, but not because of brute force, but by pure control of things people had come to depend so strongly on, such as technology.

Magneto leaned back into his seat and folded his hands, while he continued to look at Dan expectantly almost…proudly, and it wasn't until Dan heard Jean calling his name, did he finally snap back to reality and look up.

Logan was watching him, obviously keeping an eye on the boy in almost a protective kind of way, he nodded at Dan, gesturing for him to go see Jean, and looking back at Magneto for a moment, he unbuckled his harness and headed over to Jean, Magneto's words echoing in his mind. Knowing that like with John…Magneto had just reminded him how his power could be used to gain authority over others, that like John…Magneto had pitched his line, and it had hit Dan hard, the only question was…would he fall to Magneto's pitch like John had…or could he be more willful to ignore it.

* * *

Like I said it was kinda short…but hopefully got the message home…Soooo Xavier's holding Dan back? Magneto knows more about Dan than Xavier or Magneto is letting on? Ooo what is Dan's past really and how does Magneto know 'bout it? Questions, questions, questions…

So no reviews for the last chapter so no review thanks…But Thanks to all my readers anyways! I love you guys! You're the best and really helping this fic come along…sooo hope everyone enjoyed that chapter…Next update hopefully will be sooner on everything…I go on Christmas break in a few weeks, so as soon as all my finals, papers, and presentations are over and bloody done with…I'll have ample time to write and update everything, so till then! Please review!

(Bows)

Sharpsnout


	13. Alkeli Lake

Again…no disclaimer, everything is the same from the previous 12 chapters…

I just wanted to apologize for the lack in updating and the fact that I haven't updated this story in nearly a year…bad writers block on this and many of my other fics many of which I had promised swift updates, which never happened…Anyways…hope this chapter makes up for it…next one will follow very shortly, possible by next weekend at the latest…Thanks for your patience and understanding…

"Briefing for Alkeli Lake"

* * *

Dan spent the rest of the flight up front with Storm and Jean, they had said that it was so he could help them, but Dan knew that it was mostly to protect him maybe on Logan's request, or maybe Jean just sensed that he was feeling uncomfortable around Magneto and Mystique, either way, he was happier to be up front, helping Jean and Storm.

Well, he had been happy to help them, for the first twenty minutes, but he was beginning to get tired, the stealth capability of the X-Jet had been severely damaged and despite Dan's best effort, it was still really weak, weak enough that even the most simplistic tracker could lock onto the jet.

So Dan was doing something that he had never done before, something that was tiring him very quickly, he was splitting his power. Half of his computer power was keeping the stealth power up to hide the jet from any trackers, he had help with this part; Magneto was using his own power to deflect the radar while Storm was creating a cold front to follow the jet so any heat sensors wouldn't pick up on them.

All the adults had figured perhaps Striker and his men hadn't counted on Storm and Magneto's powers, but it was definite that Striker had no idea that aboard the X-jet was a kid with a super intelligence and the ability to mess with his computer systems and drive the men nuts. And that was exactly what Dan was doing…screwing with Alkeli Lake's communication and computer system.

Even when they were as far as 20 miles from the base he automatically began sensing the technology located on the base. Even though it was miles under the frozen lake, Dan could sense all the technology being used; he could sense the radar as it searched for any aircraft, he sensed the telecommunication being used by the different soldiers, and most importantly he sensed all the computers, even the simplest watch as long as it possessed a computer chip.

All the technology on that base screamed at him, he loved it. Even though it was tiring him very quickly, Dan didn't really care, he was having fun with something for the first time in days. Thanks to his telepathic ability he could lock onto the soldiers and he could hear them complaining about their computer problems, the one that was really amusing him was a younger soldier who freaking out because his computer kept turning onto Simpsons episodes, at least that's what Dan was hoping was happening, all he knew was that he could sense the fear within the soldier, fear of being caught by his superiors for watching cartoons when he was supposed to be monitoring the bases security.

Dan couldn't help, but smile with this and all the other things that were making life at Alkeli Lake, just a little miserable. When they landed not far from the entrance to the base, Dan came out of his own telepathic world and looked around, unaware that he had been grinning. He looked around to see if anyone was paying attention, none of the X-men were, but when he looked at Magneto and Mystique of them were smiling knowingly and Magneto nodded at him,

"Amusing, isn't it Mr. Thomas? What can be done to them so easily with so much fun?"

Quickly, Dan looked away from the old man, he felt his heart racing and his stomach hurting, he was suddenly ashamed, he had been using his power to torture someone and he had been amused by it, he had been having fun with it.

As everyone unbuckled themselves, Dan slumped to the floor, Jean and Storm obviously assumed that he was just exhausted, but Logan seemed to know something was up, after Jean and Storm reached down and gave his shoulders a squeeze as they walked towards the back of the jet to conference a game plan, Logan walked over to him and knelt down.

"Hey Squirt everything ok?" Dan didn't answer him for a few seconds as he gathered his thoughts, wondering if he was no better than mutants who use their powers to torture humans just for the amusement of it, "Squirt?" Logan asked again, a little more forceful

"Yeah…" Dan replied softly, looking straight ahead, he wasn't purposely avoiding eye contact, ok…maybe he was.

"Squirt look at me will ya?" slowly the boy looked up at Logan,

"What?"

"Kid, I've seen some bad people in my time and I've gotten pretty good at tellin' the bad ones from the decent ones."

"So?"

"So, the point is you're a good kid, you've got a good head on your shoulders and you've got a good heart, don't think your evil or even remotely like them, do you think their helpin' us 'cause they care about what happens to us, or the professor, or anyone else in there? No, Magneto cares about what he wants and how he's gonna get it. Don't let him use you Squirt, you know what's right and wrong, you're a smart kid you know what's evil and what is just helping people you care about,"

Dan stared at Logan surprised, Wolverine's gruffness was gone for a moment, in it's place was the voice of a mentor, a caring adult, for a minute, Dan felt like he was talking to Scott.

"I know I'm not evil…but…is it evil to be amused by other's suffering? I mean…doesn't that make me cruel? It's exactly what we shouldn't be using our powers for…that's what Professor Xavier is teaching us not to do-"

"Woah…woah…easy kid slow down," Wolverine put his hand up to stop Dan "first off, I don't know what exactly your learnin' with the X-men, but I do know what Xavier believes in, and I'm pretty sure you have similar beliefs" Logan lowered his voice so only Dan could hear "'sides after the helluvanight we went through because of these guys, your owed a little amusement Squirt, there's no law against a little payback."

"Thanks," Dan said nodding; Logan stood up and put his hand down, pulling Dan to his feet,

"Any time Squirt…" they started walking towards the back "just one question?"

"Yeah?"

"What did you do that was amusing you so much? That was the first time I've seen you grin since you pulled that crap with the television." Dan grinned evilly

"Turned all the monitors to the Simpson, really freaked one soldier out…I thought he was gonna wet himself when the show turned on." Logan raised an eyebrow and gave a half smile

"You're an evil genius Einstein…I'm impressed."

"Thanks…It's my callin'" Dan replied his grin getting wider, "Scott has a habit of callin' Stewie,"

"Stewie?" Logan repeated

"Yeah…he's a character on this cartoon…Family Guy? Stewie's this baby who's an evil genius, speaks with a British accent, and is bent on World Domination…" Logan looked confused "never seen the show I take it?"

"Can't say that I have…"

"Well…when we get back to the mansion, remind me to show you some episodes, it's a great show, and like I said…Scott apparently thinks I'm like Stewie…least in the evil genius sector."

They walked to the group, where Storm was preparing the virtual maps to brief the team. Storm was finishing explaining the topographic map that had had appeared, she had changed the map to a more area specific, even though Dan knew that him and the older teens weren't going with the team, a fact he could sense the other three knew as well, but were ignoring, Dan also knew that it wouldn't be a bad idea for him to study the terrain, just in case.

Storm switched the map on a spillway, below the dam, the trench was displayed in shades of blue, while the landscapes in shades of white.

"The legend tells us the depth of snow and ice that cover the ground," she said. "There's been recent water activity." Dan leaned in closer studying the map, committing it to his photographic memory; he didn't like this, he didn't like this set up at all, it was to dangerous for anyone to go in there, at least just waltz in there. If he got close enough to the main computer he could possibly shut it down, but that was a big maybe, after all the work on the jet and maintaining their stealth system, his powers were weak…he didn't think he would have enough energy to do much; however before he could voice his opinion on the matter, Jean spoke up

"If we go in there, Stryker could flood the spillway," she said

"Kurt, could you teleport inside?" Storm asked, Nightcrawler shook his head solemnly

"I have to be able to see vhere I'm going. Otherwise, I might materialize inside a vall." There was a few seconds of silence as the group contemplated their options. Realizing that they had few of them, Dan took a deep breath

"I could probably shut it down…from the ou-" he started to say, when suddenly he was hit with not two…but three looks of 'I don't think so, that is out of the question', one from Jean, Storm, and Logan, respectively. "Hey…don't look at me like that…we're not exactly full on the option table…I can get close enough to the main entrance, shut the computer system down long enough for all of you to make it to the spillway to shut down whatever needs shutting down permanently I won't hafta go in, I can split my power 'gain…half of it keeps me from being detected and the other half ya'know takes care of what needs be... It sounds like a good plan to me,"

"Let's try one that doesn't involve a twelve year old risking his life," Storm said firmly, in her no-nonsense voice.

"I'll go," Logan said casually "I have a hunch Billy will want me alive." Dan crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, that idea sounded even worse than his…even with Wolverine's regenerative powers how was he going to shut the system down…it would take someone with a good sense of computers and mechanical devices to gently shut down what needed to be shut down.

If everything was shut down, there was a good chance they might be looking at a flash flood or even the base exploding, neither of which sounded helpful. Those computers were the only thing that was keeping that base operational.

Magneto seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Dan…which made the boy a little nervous, the older mutant stepped up to the table and finally spoke:

"Wolverine, whoever goes inside that dam needs to be able to operate the spillway mechanism and neutralize any other defenses. What do you intend to do, even if you knew what you were to look for and where to find it? Scratch it with your claws?" Dan looked over at Logan, who looked pissed.

Thanks to his telepathy, Dan was pretty empathic to those around him, and he could feel the anger and even…humiliation emanating from Logan, and the satisfaction almost amusement that was coming from Mystique.

Dan had been trying since meeting the pair to read Magneto's mind, he was curious to know what kind of thoughts the old man had, Dan's telepathy was strong, despite his arguments that is was his weakest power, Xavier had made it very clear to the boy that his telepathy was very strong, with coaching it could be as strong as Xavier and Jean's. But, Dan was beginning to understand Magneto's helmet, and what he meant by the 'bad guys', it was designed to block telepathy; his…Xavier's, Jean's, but Dan didn't need his telepathy to read Magneto…he wore his emotions like a jacket and Dan could pick up on all of them, he tried to hide it, but Dan was good at reading people. He could read all the emotions that Magneto carried with him, he was nervous and even a little unsure of how things would work out in the coming hours.

Dan knew why they were so nervous…Bobby, Rogue, and John had no idea. But it was impossible for him to ignore the thought on minds of all the adults…the fact that at that very moment, Stryker could have the fake Cerebro up and running, with the Professor's mind linked to every mutant on the planet, and with enough concentration, his telepathy could end the lives of every mutant on the planet.

"I'll take my chances," Logan growled

"But I," Magneto replied in a firm tone "won't"

Not ten minutes later, Dan felt Mystique's emotions shift from slightly confident to victorious…she was in, the decoy had worked. Seconds later, her voice calmly reported back,

"I'm in," she said, with sighs of relief being felt throughout the jet, even from Dan, who already knew everything had gone according to plan.

"She's good," Logan commented

"You have no idea," Magneto retorted.

* * *

It didn't take long for the remaining adults to be ready to move, Dan wanted to go…he wanted to help and he knew he could help, but he also knew it was smarter and safer to avoid arguing with Storm and Jean…and even Logan.

John on the other hand was not so cautious; he stood up and faced the older X-men, his face full of determination.

"Let us help," behind him, Rogue and Bobby also stood up, nodding in agreement, with no protest from Dan, Bobby pulled him to his feet, but like Dan had predicted, Storm put a stop to that right away,

"You're not helping with anything," she said, John looked ready to be typical and argue with her, but he stopped when she put her hand up. "If something… happens to us," she looked at Dan…most of the students had been briefed on the _Blackbird_, and John, Bobby, and Rogue all knew emergency sequences that were already preprogrammed, but Dan was one of the only ones who knew all of the codes, commands, and flying procedures of the jet. "Dan, I want you to activate the escape-and-evade flight sequence. Don't touch any of the controls, on the ground or in the air." Not touching the controls was a given…he couldn't reach any of them, least not at the same time sitting down…it was something that him and Scott had been working on. "The Blackbird will take care of you just fine, the autopilot will fly you home."

Storm talking like that was making Dan really uncomfortable, her speaking of this mission like it was doomed from the start was making his stomach hurt. It must have been obvious on his face, because Jean casually reached over and gave his shoulder a squeeze. She knew what he was thinking, even without telepathy…there would be no point to engaging the autopilot…if the team couldn't stop Stryker…they'd all be dead.

"Then what?" Bobby demanded, bringing Dan's attention back, he looked over at his friends, they were obviously all thinking all the same thing…what kind of home did they have to go back to?

"You've all got superpowers…" Logan replied simply "figure it out…"

* * *

Again…thanks for your patience and understanding towards the lack of updating…hope to hear from everyone soon!

Till than…

(bows)

Sharpsnout


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